Mitch Ryals

D.C. Attorney General Targets D.C. Slumlord With RICO Lawsuit, Alleging Corrupt Enterprise Across 70 Rent-Controlled Buildings Despite the AG’s lawsuit, another notorious slumlord has reappeared as a representative at a building in Razjooyan’s enterprise.

Following the @dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social's announcement of a RICO lawsuit against Sam Razjooyan, @wcp.bsky.social investigative reporter Suzie Amanuel has new details about another notorious D.C. slumlord who's reappeared and is now involved with one of the buildings:

The Next Hottest Rental Strategy? Market To Housing Choice Voucher Holders Local real estate firms are increasingly keen to cash in on a lucrative government program. One local developer has leveraged it to build a small empire of low-income apartment buildings where constru...

Also, shoutout to former @wcp.bsky.social and DCist reporter Morgan Baskin, who was all over this story back in 2023:

Read the full lawsuit here:

Washington City Paper Series Nails DC Slumlord and Prompts AG Fines - Reporters Suzie Amanuel and Alex Koma's reporting on the troubling practices of landlord Sam Razjooyan has led to increased scrutiny over the controversial property owner.

And thanks to @spotlightdc.bsky.social for its essential support of this reporting: spotlightdc.org/impact-story...

How Can D.C. Make Life Harder for Landlords Like Sam Razjooyan? The City Has the Tools, But It’s Not Using Them. D.C. has the tools to make life harder on landlords—like Sam Razjooyan—who are accused of deceptive practices. But it’s not using them.

And @alexkoma.bsky.social dug into the tools available to the D.C. government that could stop Razjooyan and others doing similar dirt, but wasn't using them:

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7572...

Lender That Helped Fund Slumlord Sam Razjooyan Was Warned About Alleged Fraud. They Loaned Him Millions. A whistleblower has accused Red Oak Capital of shoddy vetting and reckless lending. Razjooyan received more than $40 million from the private lender. Where did all that money go?

Amanuel also dug into how private lenders fuel Razjooyan's unlawful actions that displace low-income tenants and keep them in living in abject squalor.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7614...

How a D.C. ‘Slumlord’ Scammed Tenants and Lenders to Build a Portfolio of Neglected Properties, According to Lawsuits and Tenant Accounts Ali “Sam” Razjooyan and his associates are accused of doctoring loan documents and tricking tenants out of their rights. While they get rich, tenants are displaced.

@wcp.bsky.social investigative reporter Suzie Amanuel has been reporting on Razjooyan and his associates since 2024, including his doctoring of loan documents and tricking tenants out of their rights as he has built a portfolio of neglected slums:

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7541...

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@dcattorneygeneral.bsky.social is announcing a RICO case against slumlord Sam Razjooyan filed this week: www.instagram.com/dcattorneyge...

Court filings also reference an argument White had that resulted in him getting kicked out of the casino.

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7789...

NEWS: Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White's trial for bribery, which was scheduled to begin March 24, will be delayed. A judge agreed that a "significant amount of new information" turned over last month by prosecutors to White's defense attorney justified holding off on trial. No new date yet.

D.C. Cop Charged With Scamming Pennsylvania Man on Facebook Marketplace Metropolitan Police Department Officer Christopher Bijan Shahsavar ghosted a man who paid him $2,500 for a gaming console.

@dcpolicedept.bsky.social Officer Christopher Shahsavar agreed to sell a PlayStation 5 to a guy in Pennsylvania. He received the money via Venmo then ghosted the dude. He was charged with 4 felonies and was ordered to repay the victim. Now MPD is trying to fire him.

@wcp.bsky.social is hiring two reporters! Come work with us:

washingtoncitypaper.com/job-opportun...

Ms. Guided: Relationship Ins and Outs for 2026 A guide to what’s in, what’s out, and why your friend’s loser boyfriend is her responsibility.

Couples’ content, coffee dates, and diamond maximalism are out. Meddling, marathon first dates, and elopements are in.

Here’s Ms. Guided’s take on what’s in, what’s out, and what your friend’s loser boyfriend says about her:

Come work with us!

Housing Authority Internal Auditor Put on Leave Amid Her Probe of Contracting Misconduct and Financial Mismanagement Petuna Cooper alleges in a lawsuit that the agency’s leadership is retaliating against her while an internal memo alleges she has mistreated employees.

Accusations are flying back and forth at the DC Housing Authority: contractual shenanigans, financial mismanagement, threats, and name calling.

The internal auditor was put on admin leave, and then promptly filed a whistleblower lawsuit.

Read about it:

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7771...

2025 in Photos Revisit 2025 through City Paper photographer Darrow Montgomery’s lens.

Trump’s inaugural parade. The dismantling of BLM Plaza. No Kings and Free DC protests. Pride. National Guard deployment. The People Issue.

Revisit 2025 through @darrow-m.bsky.social’s lens:

Salim Adofo Used ANC Funds for Political Purposes, D.C. Auditor Says Adofo disagrees with the auditor's findings that as chair of ANC 8C, he spent thousands on professional headshots and other photos for use in his campaign.

A new D.C. Auditor report says that during his time as ANC 8C chair, Salim Adofo used ANC funds on headshots and event photos used in his campaign for D.C. Council. The auditor identified nearly $18K in questionable spending.

More on the report and Adofo’s response:

Gas bills going up!

Cuckoo for GoGo Puffs Anthony and Candice Shuford spent the government shutdown making their cereal dreams a reality. The soon-to-launch Cinnamon Crankin' Crunch pays tribute to D.C.’s homegrown music.

Husband-and-wife team Anthony and Candice Shuford are paying tribute to go-go culture with GoGo Puffs breakfast cereal.

“Ingredients are cinnamon, brown sugar, and go-go,” Candice says. More on the story behind GoGo Puffs:

Property Management Company’s Workplace Hugging Policy To Blame for Sexual Assault in a Locked Suite, Lawsuit Alleges Camden Development says its “hug life” policy is not to blame for one of its employees sexually assaulting another.

But in March of 2023, a male Camden employee sexually assaulted a female employee in an empty apartment. The man initiated the contact by first asking for a hug.

The women is suing the company, alleging Camden's "hug life" is to blame for the alleged attack

washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7757...

Camden Development, which manages 2 buildings in DC, shows new employees orientation videos that promote a "hugging culture." One is titled "hug life."

“Hugging is simply a part of who we are,” one video says. "...And now that you’re part of the Camden Family, we look forward to hugging you too.”

NEWS: At-Large Councilember Anita Bonds will try to delay ranked-choice voting's rollout at next Tuesday's D.C. Council session. She has an emergency bill that would push RCV to 2027, instead of it being used next year. She says there isn't enough time for outreach and education.

NEW: Federal prosecutors have failed, for the second time, to re-indict Letitia James.

w/ @joshgerstein

www.politico.com/news/2025/12...

Bernstein Management Corporation Charged Hidden AC Fees in Alleged Attempt to Increase Rates in Rent-Controlled Apartments, Lawsuit Claims For years, BMC advertised units with “all utilities included” while allegedly forcing rent-controlled tenants to pay a mandatory AC fee, according to a lawsuit.

A new lawsuit claims Bernstein Management Corporation charged hidden fees across 16 rent-stabilized apartment buildings to increase rates past legal limits. Here’s what we know:

Rapper Devin Denzel Pays Homage to His Father and Go-Go With His Latest Album Standing on his ancestor’s shoulders, the son of original Rare Essence drummer Quentin “Footz” Davidson wants to carry go-go into the future.

Devin Denzel Davidson was just 3 when his father, Rare Essence drummer Quentin “Footz” Davidson, was killed.

Now, Footz’s legacy shapes Devin Denzel’s new album, The Test of Faith, with an unmistakable go-go feel. More on how he’s carrying go-go forward:

Professional Development or Party? DOES Staff Event Featured Acrobats, Backyard Band, and DJ EZ Street DOES refused to disclose the cost to hire entertainers and speakers for an all-staff professional development event held last month.

And read the original report that sparked the IG investigation here:

Expenditure Irregularities (Department of Employment Services) Redacted

Anyway, these all-staff parties are major undertakings. Event planning contracts for the past 3 years totaled nearly $550k, including tens of thousands of $ for bands, DJs, motivational speakers, audio/visual equipment, "entertainment services," and catering.

Read the OIG's full report here:

BUT! DOES is rejecting basically all of the OIG's findings, so it appears unlikely that any of the recommendations will be implemented.

Donohoe actually donated THREE two-night stays at a Vegas hotel. One was raffled off, and the other two remain unaccounted for. Those are the questions DOES won't answer, and the OIG recommended the mayor's office step in to make sure there's no funny business.

In a statement to me, DOES at first denied that any raffle giveaway occurred at all. Then, in a follow-up statement, a spokesperson said the donation and raffle followed guidance from their legal counsel (she couldn't provide the guidance to me).