The New York Times has acknowledged significant shortcomings in a recent article that glowingly profiled a Brooklyn street vendor, after The Post reported the vendor is a registered high-risk sex offender. The Times updated its Aug. 4 story on the "Hoodwill" market to include an editor's note stating the article "fell short of our standards and should not have been published as it was written."
The updated note admitted that senior editors learned of Tyshawn Kennedy's criminal history, including a conviction for attempted rape and his status on the sex offender registry, after publication. The Times stated, "That information should have been included in the article. More broadly, senior editors should have been made aware of those details before publication and discussed other ways to write about Hoodwill and the issues around it."
Kennedy, 35, is part of an illegal street vending operation in Downtown Brooklyn that sells donated goods. The original Times article focused on the challenges of obtaining street vendor licenses in New York City and included shopper testimonials favoring the Hoodwill vendors for their lower prices. The report mentioned Kennedy had spent time in and out of jail but did not specify his conviction for second-degree attempted rape of a minor in 2015, for which he received a two-year prison sentence and was required to register as a Level 3 sex offender. The incident involved sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl. The article also omitted his 2021 arrest in New Jersey for shoplifting and allegedly assaulting a police officer.
Sources indicated that the Hoodwill vendors often intercept people intending to donate to Goodwill, selling the items on the sidewalk. The operation has also been criticized for leaving unsold merchandise on the streets, creating a sanitation issue. Local business leaders and elected officials have expressed frustration with the illegal vending and the resulting litter.
Kennedy told The Post that he is not hiding his past and believes he is providing a public service by offering goods at lower prices than Goodwill. He also claimed that he and his associates clean up after themselves and are staying out of trouble.
Following The Post's reporting and the subsequent editor's note, the Hoodwill operation continued to attract shoppers, with some individuals still appearing to mistakenly donate items to Kennedy and other vendors, believing them to be affiliated with Goodwill. Goodwill Industries staff at the Bond Street location declined to comment.