New York, September 26, 2025 – The federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have accused hotel operator Weihong Hu and security company CEO Christopher Dantzler in February of this year for allegedly bribing Julio Medina, the head of the non-profit organization Exodus, with $2.5 million. This was in exchange for $51 million in funding from the city’s pandemic housing program, which they then allegedly pocketed. On September 16, the prosecutors further charged Hu, Medina, and Exodus executive Diana Ortiz with obstruction of justice.
Prosecutors revealed that the bribes received by Medina took various forms, including cash envelopes, a $1.3 million townhouse in Washington Heights, and a black Mercedes-Benz worth $107,000. The Mercedes was purchased by Hu through his company in November 2021 and the monthly payments were covered by Hu.
Hu, not only a key fundraiser for New York City Mayor Adams, has also hosted campaign events for Adams at his hotel in Fresh Meadows, Queens, where many released inmates were also accommodated.
Last Tuesday, the Eastern District federal prosecutors added a charge of obstruction of justice on top of the original indictment. The prosecutors alleged that, upon learning that they were targets of a federal corruption investigation, Hu, Medina, and their senior staff, including Ortiz, planned an operation to “make the Mercedes disappear”.
According to The City, law enforcement officials held a virtual meeting with Hu and his lawyer two weeks before the indictment, revealing evidence of the kickbacks Hu provided to Medina, including the Mercedes. Such meetings typically happen when law enforcement tries to secure cooperation from the subjects of an investigation.
After the meeting concluded, the trio began communicating using encrypted messaging apps and coded emojis. The following day, the license plate recognition system showed Medina and Ortiz driving the Mercedes to Medina’s residence in Albany. Over the next few days, they continued coordinating their actions through encrypted messages.
Prosecutors disclosed that at one point, Medina expressed frustration with emojis in a message and told Diana Ortiz, “No, the Easterner (emoji) asked me about it”, seemingly realizing that his conversation with Hu had been compromised. Afterwards, Medina instructed his son to prepare the Mercedes and leave the keys inside the car, to which his son replied, “Damn, end of an era.” Julio Medina then responded: “Once we are back in the game, we will take down another one!”
It was later revealed that Ortiz had the car delivered to Hu’s son’s residence in Queens and she returned to the Bronx via Uber. Meanwhile, Hu’s employees began coordinating the resale of the Mercedes back to the original dealer. Two days after Hu’s arrest, the car was indeed retrieved by the dealer using the keys found in Medina’s home.
In the end, all three individuals were charged with obstruction of justice.