Public Defenders
Founder of NYC public defender office indicted on fraud charges
Lori Zeno, center, then the executive director of the Queens Defenders, addresses the media outside the Queens courthouse following with the arraignment of a police officer on June 25, 2020, in New York. (Photo by Kevin Hagen/The Associated Press)
The founder of one of New York City’s public defender offices is facing fraud charges for allegedly taking money from the organization for luxury vacations, a penthouse apartment and designer clothes.
Lori Zeno, who helped start the Queens Defenders in 1996, and her husband, Rashad Ruhani, stole at least $60,000 from the organization between June 2024 and January 2025, according to an indictment unsealed by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York on Wednesday. They were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy and theft of funds.
The New York Times, Law.com and Bloomberg Law have coverage.
Zeno became the executive director of the Queens Defenders in 2018 but was forced to step down in January following allegations of mismanagement and misappropriation of funds, federal prosecutors say.
Zeno became romantically involved with Ruhani after he joined the Queens Defenders as a client advocate in 2023, according to federal prosecutors. Zeno promoted him to a position managing the organization’s youth program in June 2024.
Also in June 2024, Zeno and Ruhani allegedly used the organization’s credit cards to buy clothing from Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren and Louis Vuitton, federal prosecutors say. After getting married a few months later, they used corporate credit cards to pay for hotels, food and jewelry during their honeymoon in Bali. They also used the credit cards to pay for expenses at a luxury resort in Santa Monica, California.
The pair additionally asked to be reimbursed $39,000 after they said they rented a penthouse apartment to house a homeless child for two months, according to federal prosecutors.
Among other allegations, federal prosecutors say Zeno gave Ruhani’s daughter and a woman he had been married to “no-show jobs” and paid them salaries of $80,000 and $60,000, the New York Times reports. Prosecutors have alleged that the woman was hired to lead a fake health and wellness program and did not reside in the United States.
The New York Times says Zeno could not be reached for comment. As of Friday, Law.com reports that she was not in custody.
Law.com also says lawyers for Ruhani, who was in custody, declined to comment.
In a statement provided to Law.com, Doneath Powell, chair of the Queens Defenders’ board of directors, said the organization was “deeply saddened by the nature of these allegations against two former employees.”
Brooklyn Defender Services announced in March that it would take over the Queens Defenders’ $32 million contract with the city, Law.com reports.
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