An Occupy-movement-aligned Council also-ran had $6,670 disappear from his campaign coffers in early October, his treasurer told cops last week.
Jelani Mashariki — who unsuccessfully campaigned to replace Fort Greene Councilwoman-turned-Public Advocate Letitia James — said the funds vanished between Oct. 4 and Oct. 7, 2013, but that he did not notice the missing dough until his money minder was preparing an audit report this month.
“I’m sure justice will be served and the NYPD will follow up and hold the people responsible accountable,” said Mashariki.
The theft occurred a little less than a month after Mashariki placed fourth in the Democratic primary for the 35th District seat, garnering just 1,254 votes, or 6.5 percent of the electorate. New Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo came out on top of the pile, carrying more than a third of the vote. Mashariki said he was unsure how exactly the theft occurred, and said all of the campaign’s checks were numbered and accounted for.
“We kept everything tight,” the former candidate said.
The police report indicates that someone forged checks from the account.
The 38-year-old Mashariki runs the Pamoja House homeless shelter and is a community representative on the board of the endangered Interfaith Medical Center. He is also a community organizer and has been keeping the Occupy Wall Street label, if not the movement alive, organizing protest rallies under the Occupy banner, including one in August aimed at saving Interfaith.
—with Matthew Perlman
