© 2026 ABC News

Cuomo on Tuesday said that 45 businesses, including 12 New York City bars, have had their liquor licenses revoked for \"egregious violations\" of COVID-19 executive orders since he threatened to yank licenses on June 18 to incentivize compliance with his emergency orders.

The New York State Liquor Authority issued more than 130 COVID-19-related violations July 24-26, which can carry fines of up to $10,000. This brought the total number of pandemic-related charges to 503.

After a least a dozen social media posts surfaced advertising yacht parties, a spokesman for Mayor Bill de Blasio's office said it was working with boat companies to remind them of COVID-19 restrictions and will take action on those that defy the rules. Promoters of these parties promised in their social media posts to abide by all COVID-19 restrictions despite so many vessels featuring enclosed spaces where people could gather.

Some private events companies have resorted to organizing \"pop-up\" parties, with locations disclosed at the last minute in an effort to avoid drawing too much attention.

Event companies trying to flout COVID emergency orders have used Whatsapp and Telegram to communicate details of pop-up parties and advised people not to take pictures at events or upload social media posts that contained details of parties.

\"PHOTO:
Jeenah Moon/Reuters
PHOTO: People drink outside a bar during the reopening phase following the coronavirus outbreak in the East Village neighborhood in New York City, June 12, 2020.
>

Joe Fucito, the NYC Sheriff, told ABC News that many parties that they target were illegal because those who host them didn't hold valid liquor licenses.

\"They were illegal activity before the COVID-19 pandemic, and violations of the mayor's and governor's orders in conjunction with the social event just compound the criminal activity,\" he said. \"Because of the fast-changing nature and location of the events, the Sheriff's Office does not comment on criminal investigations, but we readily accept tips about these activities.\"

While there have been challenges to the COVID-19 emergency orders across the country, including a church in Nevada and bar owners in Texas, the restrictions imposed are justifiable from a legal standpoint, said Richard Briffault, a professor of state and local government law at Columbia Law School.

Briffault said because there was a scientific basis behind limiting the size of gatherings the emergency orders should stand up in court unless there are allegations of targeted enforcement against certain groups of people.

\"These orders are pretty consistent with powers a governor or mayor has to take, steps to protect public health,\" he told ABC News. \"There is no fundamental right to party.\"

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/york-authorities-break-alleged-sex-party-crackdown-large/story?id=71948681","legacySlug":"/news/story/york-authorities-break-alleged-sex-party-crackdown-large-71948681","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"10:07","publishDate":"07-30-2020","updatedTime":"07:23","updatedDate":"08-02-2020","socialImage":{"alt":"People drink outside a bar during the reopening phase following the coronavirus outbreak in the East Village neighborhood in New York City, June 12, 2020.","credit":"Jeenah Moon/Reuters","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/nyc-bar-rt-rc-200723_hpMain_2_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"7/30/2020 10:07:00 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":71948681,"headline":"NYC authorities cracking down on large gatherings","mediaAssetTitle":"NY COVID PARTIES","description":"Promoters have used social media to promote last-second pop-up parties.","duration":"1:51","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/07/200729_vod_hand_sanitizer_eg_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"NYC authorities cracking down on large gatherings","description":"Promoters have used social media to promote last-second pop-up parties.","duration":"1:51","uploadDate":"07-30-2020","publication":"07-30-2020","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/07/200729_vod_hand_sanitizer_eg_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2020/07/200729_vod_hand_sanitizer_eg_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/york-authorities-break-alleged-sex-party-crackdown-large-71948681"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"NYC authorities cracking down on large gatherings","pubTime":"06:07","pubDate":"07-30-2020","modTime":"03:23","modDate":"08-02-2020","taxonomyTags":"none","id":71948681,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"NYC authorities cracking down on large gatherings","mediaAssetTitle":"NY COVID PARTIES","videoId":71948681,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/york-authorities-break-alleged-sex-party-crackdown-large-71948681"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/71948681","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/71948681","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};