Were Kamillah Hanks and Ronald Castorina Richard Luthmann’s criminal co-conspirators in the fake Facebook case? If they were, are they felons that should not hold public elected office?
In the 200-plus page filing, with extensive exhibits, Luthmann paints a picture of a sprawling conspiracy by former clients to evade past debts while simultaneously acting to avoid the political fallout of past crimes.
The former barrister names several notable Defendants, who he says either owe him money or have committed crimes, including lies, perjury, and improper use of their office.
Fake Facebook Felons
Two high-profile names are repeatedly mentioned: Kamillah Hanks and Ronald Castorina. Both were Luthmann’s former clients, and both made it big politically. Hanks is an NYC Council Member. Castorina is a New York State Supreme Court Justice.
The requirements for many elected offices in New York City and State require that the office holder is not a felon. This is true for a Member of the NYC Council and an NYS Supreme Court Justice.
Luthmann is a felon in NYS, convicted of making “fake Facebook” pages in NYC Elections in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
Lobbyist Jon Del Giorno, Council Member Kamillah Hanks, and NYC Mayor Eric Adams
Richard Luthmann says that Kamillah Hanks and Ronald Castorina are felons, too. His filing alleges that not only were Castorina and Hanks Luthmann’s co-conspirators, but Luthmann’s deceptive social media campaigns were commissioned by the politicians and conducted with their knowledge, input, and aid.
Luthmann went to jail for three years for his “fake Facebook” crimes.
The filing includes exhibits that show actual knowledge by the Councilwoman and the Judge.
This article explores these claims.
Is Kamillah Hanks a Fake Facebook Felon?
NYC Council Member Hanks is having a bad week. She is mired in several controversies.
The Detectives Endowment Association, representing around 18,000 current and retired NYPD detectives, has withdrawn its endorsements of NYC Council Member Hanks. This move follows her support for the "How Many Stops Act," aimed at documenting all investigative civilian encounters.
Kamillah Hanks chairs the NYC Council Public Safety Committee.
Currently, NYPD only records Level 3 encounters involving reasonable crime suspicion. Critics, including Mayor Adams, argue the bill will overburden officers, reducing effective policing, especially in high-crime areas.
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Hanks, chairing the Public Safety Committee, expressed disappointment, citing the bill's importance for communities frequently interacting with police. The union also plans to withhold support from other Council members backing the bill. Mayor Adams considers vetoing the bill, which narrowly passed the Council and is close to the veto override threshold.
Fake Social Media Pages and Campaign Finance
Though her “soft-on-crime” stance may sink her with Staten Island voters, Hanks’ biggest issue may be her previous involvement with former attorney Richard Luthmann, now a felon. He alleges Hanks never paid him for legal fees he performed for the Hanks 2017 and never reported these expenditures to the NYC Campaign Finance Board.
Kevin Barry Love and Kamillah Hanks
In a phone call made to Luthmann’s former collections lawyers, Hanks’ partner, “de facto agent,” and millionaire real estate investor, Kevin Barry Love, admits that Luthmann performed the work for Hanks. While implicating Hanks's campaign in serious NYC CFB violations, he also mentions embattled NYC Mayor Eric Adams, who, himself, is amidst a serious federal campaign finance investigation.
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No financial references exist to the expenditures made for Luthmann’s services in the 2017 Hanks NYC Campaign Finance Board filings.
However, Hanks, Love, and the campaign knew their reporting requirements.
Hanks sent Luthmann a picture of her primary opponent, Debi Rose, over Facebook Messenger with the command “Cut it.”
Hanks’ worst transgressions may be using social media to produce “hate speech” against political rival Debi Rose. Luthmann served three years in prison for this transgression. He says Hanks was giving him direction.
Hanks not only knew about the fake Facebook page, but she also openly discussed the page with Luthmann on Facebook Messenger. She sent him pictures to post with editorial commands like “Cut it.”
Is Kamillah Hanks a “fake Facebook” felon?
Does she deserve to be a NYC Council Member?
Is Ron Castorina Fit to Sit on the Bench?
Few can do any better than renowned investigative journalist Frank Parlato did on his deep dive into Ron Castorina’s treachery. Parlato did an entire series on Castorina. If Castorina gets defrocked, Parlato should get a Pulitzer Prize.
In February, Parlato published this article, from which I will borrow an excerpt:
Parlato shows beyond the shadow of a doubt that Castorina was Luthmann’s co-conspirator with the fake Facebook page. At the time, he was a NYS Assemblyman, a practicing attorney, and the Republican Party Leader.
Castorina attacked fellow Republican Janine Materna mercilessly on social media - using Luthmann as his cut-out. He broke Ronald Reagan’s 11th Commandment: “Never speak ill of another Republican.”
When this story came to light on NY1 News, local Tea Party Leader Bobby Zahn called for Ron to step down as Staten Island GOP Party Leader. Parlato based his reporting on NY1 News’ stories.
As you read the following, remember whether Castorina should be sitting on the bench in New York State.
Castorina knew about the fake Materna page in October 2015. He knew Luthmann was behind it, and he collaborated on it.
The Castorina-Materna Republican Primary Election for NYS Assembly took place on September 13, 2016. One month before, Luthmann reported his Facebook posts to Castorina.
The first had a picture of Materna with former NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio, a politician reviled in the Staten Island Assembly District. The Facebook post stated as if it came from Materna: “We will have a conversation about Housing Projects on the South Shore. #NYCHATottenville.”
This was meant to scare voters into thinking Materna would build a racially diverse public subsidy, Democrat-heavy housing project on the South Shore of Staten Island.
Castorina had his chance to say, ‘stop this bad penny. I want to win honestly, for I am an ethical man with aspirations of becoming a judge one day and judging other people’s ethics. That’s who I am.’
But that’s not what he did.
Instead, he said, “Good, She’s a vicious animal.”
Just to be clear, he did not say Luthmann was a vicious animal. He said Materna was a vicious animal, and when Luthmann showed him the photo and the remarks purportedly coming from Materna about building a housing project in voters’ neighborhood, Castorina said, “Good.”
Another post placed Materna with sex offender Anthony Weiner and said: “SOLID ON WOMEN’S ISSUES.”
On August 21, 2016, at 6:37 pm, Castorina sent Luthmann a picture of Materna with Obama Attorney General Eric Holder.
At 6:40 pm, three minutes later, the picture was posted to the Materna Fake Facebook page with the caption: “BLACK LIVES MATTER #BLM.”
A man with black robes on who saw the racial tinge to this post would undoubtedly say, “Carzy Luthmann, you bad penny, stop, stop, this is going too far.” Or at least he could gently discourage it or ignore him.
But Castorina replied, “That’s just hysterical wow.”
On August 30, 2016, two weeks before the primary, Luthmann sent a message to Castorina. “I think we have to do a new video,” he said. “Janine Materna is not a democrat. Janine Materna is a cunt.”
Agreeing that the woman was a “cunt,” Judge Castorina said, “She’s a rotten one at that.”
Luthmann said, “Janine Materna XXX?” and sent a photoshopped picture of a blonde woman performing a lewd act on a man.
An amused and excited Castorina replied: “Lmfaooo omg. Her and Weiner. There’s her pearl necklace she always wears.”
Luthmann: I think we have to do a new video. Castorina: Janine Materna is not a democrat. Janine Materna is a cunt.
Castorina: She’s a rotten one at that.
Luthmann: Janine Materna XXX? Luthmann: (Sends lewd photoshopped picture) Luthmann: She will jump in front of a bus.
Castorina: Lmfaooo omg. Castorina: Her and wiener Castorina: there’s her pearl necklace whe always wears…
Luthmann: “Carlos Danger and me.”
Castorina: That’s just terrible OMG lol
Castorina also used social media to produce “hate speech” against political rival Janine Materna. Again, Luthmann served three years in prison for this transgression. Castorina was clearly giving him direction.
Not only did Castorina know about the fake Facebook page, but he also openly discussed the page with Luthmann on Facebook Messenger. He even said to Luthmann, “I need your expertise.”
Is Ronald Castorina a “fake Facebook” felon?
Does he deserve to be a NYS Supreme Court Justice?
