Sam Levine Brings Deep Expertise Protecting Borrowers and Holding Financial Actors Accountable

December 22, 2025 | NEW YORK — Moments ago, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced the appointment of Sam Levine to head the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP). Levine is the former Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection and a member of Protect Borrowers’ advisory board.

In response, Winston Berkman-Breen, Protect Borrowers Legal Director and former Director of Consumer Advocacy and Student Loan Ombudsman for the New York State Department of Financial Services, issued the following statement:

“Appointing Sam Levine to head NYC’s DCWP reflects a serious commitment by the Mamdani Administration to putting people first and standing up to corporate abuse. He brings a rare combination of deep enforcement experience and a strong dedication to economic justice.

“From taking on predatory for-profit colleges to helping lead consumer protection enforcement, Sam has spent his career holding powerful financial actors accountable. As commissioner, he will take the helm of an agency with broad authority to protect consumers and workers, and with a strong track record of using that authority for issues ranging from student debt to fair pay. We are lucky to have him on our side, working to make New York City affordable for everyone.

“Protect Borrowers has worked in close partnership with DCWP since 2018, collaborating on research, trainings, advocacy, and legislation. Together, we have delivered real results for New Yorkers. The agency is a national model for what local government can do to protect consumers and workers, even with a federal administration that turns its back on working people, and we are proud to support it.

“This appointment sends a strong signal that New York City is serious about putting people before profits. We look forward to continuing our partnership with DCWP and the Mamdani Administration to deliver real, enforceable protections for all New Yorkers.”

Further Reading

Protect Borrowers blog co-authored by Sam Levine and Erin Witte: What Everyone Can Learn from California’s Fight Against Predatory Auto Lending

Protect Borrowers advisor comments on the fight for families drowning in debt, ft. Levine: What They Are Saying: Top Economic Policymakers And Protect Borrowers’ Advisors Weigh In On The Fight For Families Drowning In Debt

DCWP press release on its case against NYC for-profit college: Mayor Adams Delivers $20 Million in Debt Relief to Former Berkeley College Students

DCWP reports on student debt, worker rights, and other affordability issues in NYC: Research & Reports

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About Protect Borrowers

Protect Borrowers (formerly Student Borrower Protection Center) is a nonprofit organization led by a team of experts, lawyers, and advocates fighting to build an economy where debt doesn’t limit opportunity. We investigate financial abuses, take predatory companies to court, and push for policies to protect working people from debt traps. We aim to deliver immediate relief to families while building power, driving systemic change, and fighting for racial and economic justice.

Learn more at protectborrowers.org or follow us on social @BorrowerJustice.