Jamaal Bowman hired Shane Osinloye to work on his Congressional primary campaign against George Latimer
NEW ROCHELLE, NY (May 16, 2024) — According to Federal records seen by Talk of the Sound, Shane Osinloye may no longer hold his New Rochelle City Council seat.
Shane Osinloye, already under investigation by the New Rochelle Police Department, following sexual assault allegations, was reported by the Bowman for Congress campaign in Federal Election Commission filings as residing at an address in Bronxville, NY elsewhere listed as Bowman’s campaign headquarters.
Unless Osinloye is sleeping on a couch in Bowman’s office, the question becomes “Where’s Shane?”
The answer to that question has significant implications for Osinloye, the New Rochelle City Council, and Jamaal Bowman.
When Osinloye was running for City Council from District 4, he listed his address on campaign documents filed with Westchester County and New York State as 29 Davenport Avenue, the Hudson House apartments.
If he is no longer living at Hudson House and is not (presumably) living at the Bowman campaign headquarters but lists that location as a personal residence, then where is he living?
The City Charter of New Rochelle Article III (The Council and Mayor), Section 9 (Qualifications) states, “If a Council member shall cease to be a resident of the Council District from which he or she was elected, his or her office shall immediately become vacant.”
Moving back into District 4 after this story is published will not help him; his seat would already be vacated and he would instantly no longer be a member of the New Rochelle City Council.
According to Jamaal Bowman’s most recent campaign finance report, filed with the Federal Election Commission on April 15, 2024, for the period January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2024, Osinloye was paid $3,477.50 in March: $1,852.50 on March 15, 2024, and $1,625.00 on March 29, 2024.
Osinloye’s address, starting on March 15, 2024, is listed on Bowman’s FEC filing as 81 Pondfield Road, Ste D351, Bronxville, NY, 10708-3818.
Osinloye filed a campaign finance report for his New Rochelle City Council campaign (Friends of Shane Osinloye) with The New York State Board of Elections with a Registration Date of October 23, 2023, and Termination Date of March 1, 2024.
Osinloye listed his address at Hudson House with The New York State Board of Elections up until March 1, 2024.
In order to be added to the Bowman campaign payroll. Osinloye is required to complete and submit an IRS W-4 Employee’s Withholding Certificate, so his federal tax can be withheld. Under the Personal Information section of the form, the taxpayer is required to list their personal address.
The W-4 states, “This form is not valid unless you sign it” and “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that this certificate, to the best of my knowledge and belief, is true, correct, and complete.”
In order to notify the IRS of a Change of Address, Osinloye is required to complete and submit an IRS 8822 form.
If Osinloye is not living in Bowman’s office in Bronxville, then why is that address listed in Federal records as Osinloye’s personal residence?
All of this begs the questions, are there more instances of the Bowman campaign filing such apparently false information and is his campaign in compliance with IRS and FEC rules and regulations?
Making false statements (18 U.S.C. § 1001) is the common name for the United States federal process crime laid out in Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which generally prohibits knowingly and willfully making false or fraudulent statements, or concealing information, in “any matter within the jurisdiction” of the federal government of the United States, even by merely denying guilt when asked by a federal agent. A number of notable people have been convicted under the section, including Martha Stewart, Rod Blagojevich, Michael T. Flynn, Rick Gates, Scooter Libby, Bernard Madoff, and Jeffrey Skilling.
Shane Osinloye and the Bowman for Congress campaign did not immediately reply to a request for comment. This story will be updated with any comment they provide.