A Rikers Island inmate convicted on felony gun charges was among those rewarded with a FIFA World Cup watch party attended by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
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A Rikers Island inmate convicted by a jury on felony gun charges was among those rewarded with a FIFA World Cup watch party attended byThomas McCoy, 52, of Brooklyn, was among the inmates interviewed during Wednesday's England-Argentina semifinal watch party, telling The Associated Press he had been incarcerated for 21 months and that it was the first time in a long while he had enjoyed"real food.
" Queens County court records reviewed by Fox News Digital show McCoy was found guilty in May of two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm, as well as misdemeanor counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a controlled substance. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaking with inmates on Rikers Island while they watch a World Cup semifinal soccer match on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in New York.
The World Cup watch party was one of roughly 90 held at Rikers during the tournament. According to the mayor's office, about 4,500 of the jail's roughly 6,600 inmates participated as a reward for good behavior. Rikers Island inmates watch the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Another inmate interviewed by The Associated Press, Ralph Veal, is awaiting trial in Manhattan after pleading not guilty to multiple felony counts of third-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Rikers Island inmate Victor Caldas, an Argentina fan, reacts during the World Cup semifinal soccer match between England and Argentina, at the jail complex in New York, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
In a news release recapping the city's World Cup initiatives, the Mayor's Office highlighted the Rikers watch parties alongside free fan festivals, discounted tickets, neighborhood watch parties and other tournament programming for New Yorkers.
"These are New Yorkers, and they will be New Yorkers when they get out of Rikers," the mayor said. Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards defended the programming, saying,"Programs like this equal safety in our jail.
"The appointment came as Rikers remained under federal oversight after a judge appointed an independent remediation manager to oversee reforms amid years of violence, staffing shortages and findings that city officials had failed to correct unconstitutional conditions inside the jail.seeking the identities of inmates selected for the World Cup watch parties, the criteria used to determine eligibility and whether inmates charged with or convicted of violent felonies participated. Fox News Digital also asked the Mayor's Office whether Mamdani was briefed on the criminal histories of the inmates who attended before his visit.
Greg Wehner is a reporter for Fox News Digital covering U.S. news and crime, with a focus on breaking developments, law enforcement, public safety and major stories shaping communities across the country.
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