Posted on: October 22, 2026 06:00 AM

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Ex Queens assembly woman Ari espinal charged with stealing USD33K from union

In October, Ari Espinal, a former New York State Assembly member who had resurrected her political career as a labor union supporter in Queens, was charged with grand theft for allegedly taking $33,245 from a group that was only named in court records as "an organization." She is expected to return to court on December 10, 2026, and has entered a not guilty plea.

Espinal was detained in early October 2026 on felony allegations that she stole over $30,000 from a labor organization, according to a source quoted by Politico and court documents. A source with knowledge of the case identified the Mason Tenders' District Council PAC as the organization, where Espinal served as political and policy coordinator, despite the fact that the court documents did not identify the victim by name. Her lawyer, Anthony DiFiore, according to the same report, did not respond to a request for comment right away on Monday.

Espinal's path to the PAC included a brief but memorable stay in Albany. Wikipedia claims that she prevailed in a special election held in April 2018 to replace her previous boss, Francisco Moya, as the representative for Assembly District 39 in Central Queens, which encompasses Elmhurst, Corona, and Jackson Heights. That term ended after eight months when Catalina Cruz defeated her in the Democratic primary later that year by a 53.5 to 43.3 percent margin out of 7,151 ballots cast, according to official figures from the New York State Board of Elections. She received 3,825 votes to her 3,093.

City & State New York reported at the time that Espinal had attracted attention while in office for adopting and becoming the legal guardian of Clayton Caming, a 50-year-old man with developmental disabilities whose family she had met while serving as a legislative assistant. Rafael Espinal, a former New York City Council member and Assembly member who represented portions of Brooklyn, and she are family pals who used to jokingly refer to each other as cousins, despite not being blood relatives. Politico stated that she is the cousin of a senior aide in Mayor Zohran Mamdani's office.

Espinal discovered a new niche as a political and policy coordinator for the Mason Tenders' District Council PAC, the political division of a council representing over 16,000 building workers, asbestos handlers, and dangerous material workers throughout LIUNA Locals 66, 78, 79, and 108 in Greater New York and Long Island, according to the New York State Senate, after leaving elective office. According to OpenSecrets data, the PAC has formidable financial might, having raised nearly $5 million in the prior cycle and $5,225,270 during the 2023–2024 election cycle.

The advocacy efforts of Espinal resulted in noticeable ways. In March 2026, City & State New York placed her 94th on its Queens Power 100 list, citing her advocacy for local labor legislation. That report also credited her with promoting the New York City Construction Justice Act, which was passed as Local Law 21 of 2026. This law mandates that developers on publicly financed housing projects pay construction workers a minimum package of $40 per hour and achieve local hiring targets of 30 percent city residents.

The Mason Tenders District Council has been pushing an ongoing, independent effort against non-union labor brokers, and this arrest occurs at that time. Business manager Dave Bolger urged New York City authorities to limit the number of body shops in subsidized construction projects earlier this month, according to Hoodline, and Bronx construction workers have reported receiving minimal pay and having their sick days stolen as a result.

According to the NYS Open Legislation database, grand larceny in the third degree, a Class D felony under New York Penal Law § 155.35, is a crime that carries a maximum punishment of up to seven years in state prison and penalties of up to double the amount allegedly taken if the stolen property is worth more than $3,000. Now, Espinal's case will go before the court in December, when the specifics of the alleged theft and any possible penalties are anticipated to become clearer.