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The last defendant charged in connection with a sham construction safety school, which was linked to a worker’s fatal fall on the Upper West Side, has pleaded guilty. He’s been promised more time behind bars than the company’s president received.
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Richard Marini, 73, the Training Director for Valor Security, pleaded guilty in New York State Supreme Court to 20 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree and one count of Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, the Manhattan DA’s Office announced Thursday. Under the terms of his plea, Marini is expected to be sentenced on October 5 to a promised term of one and a half to three years in state prison.Valor’s president, Alexander Shaporov, was sentenced last October to one year in jail, 100 hours of community service and the forfeiture of $100,000. Valor Security & Investigations also lost its security license.
According to the DA’s office, Marini recklessly endangered the life of Ivan Frias by failing to provide him with necessary training. Frias died in 2022 after falling from the 15th floor of a West End Avenue construction site. As ILTUWS reported when the indictment was first announced, Frias was 36 and had been working at 263 West End Avenue.
Between December 2019 and April 2023, Marini issued safety certificates and cards to approximately 20,000 students, according to the DA’s office. For a fee, he issued cards certifying that people working at construction sites had completed the required 40 hours of safety training, without providing the training.
“Unsafe work conditions will not be tolerated in New York,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement, adding that workers had trusted Marini to train them on how to work safely at construction sites.
Marini is the final defendant to be convicted in the case. Valor and Shaporov pleaded guilty in June 2025. Instructor Elliot Sosinov was sentenced that same month to the forfeiture of $100,000. On April 30, 2026, Director of Business Development Rimma Chakhalyan, General Manager Nigina Zokirova and Compliance Director Marina Balzer were each sentenced to 200 hours of community service.
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Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said that when the defendants were first indicted, the Department of Buildings invalidated the thousands of Site Safety Training cards and certificates Valor had issued. He said the department also offered free training to the affected workers so they could get legitimate ID cards.Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata said the conviction sends a message that those who undermine construction safety for profit will be held accountable.
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