NY Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin arrested in crusade finance fraud case

New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin has surrendered to government to stand crusade finance fraud-related fees in reference to a previous crusade, two other folks accustomed to the subject mentioned Tuesday.

Benjamin used to be charged with bribery, fraud, conspiracy and falsification of information in an alleged scheme to acquire crusade contributions from an actual property developer in alternate for Benjamin’s settlement to make use of his affect as a state senator to get a $50,000 grant of state finances for a nonprofit group the developer managed.

Dealing with fees together with bribery, fraud, conspiracy and falsification of information, Benjamin pleaded no longer to blame Tuesday at an preliminary look in New york federal court docket. He used to be launched and bail used to be set at $250,000.

The lieutenant governor gave the impression in New york federal court docket Tuesday afternoon, and left with out speaking to newshounds. Attorneys representing Benjamin didn’t instantly reply to messages searching for remark.

Gov. Kathy Hochul, who gave the impression at a New York Town information convention Tuesday referring to a taking pictures at the subway, mentioned she would talk about Benjamin later within the day.

“We will have a observation available in the market. I’ve no longer had an opportunity to talk to him. I used to be doing media interviews this morning. However this isn’t where however I will be able to be addressing it very in a while,” Hochul mentioned.

His arrest comes after studies that New york federal prosecutors and the FBI have been investigating whether or not Benjamin knowingly engaged in a crusade finance fraud scheme. Subpoenas have been issued in reference to the investigation, two assets accustomed to the subpoenas mentioned on the time.

The indictment mentioned Benjamin, previously a state senator from Harlem, and others performing at his path or on his behalf additionally engaged in a chain of lies and deceptions to hide up the scheme that stretched from 2019 to 2021.

They falsified crusade donor paperwork, misled municipal regulators and equipped false knowledge in vetting paperwork Benjamin submitted whilst he used to be being regarded as to be appointed as lieutenant governor, the indictment mentioned.

A spokesman for the U.S. legal professional and a spokesman for the FBI each up to now declined WNBC requests for remark in regards to the investigation into Benjamin. A spokesman for Senate Majority Chief Andrea Stewart-Cousins additionally didn’t go back requests for remark. 

Benjamin used to be appointed lieutenant governor by means of Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2021, in a while after shedding a number one bid for New York Town comptroller. He up to now served because the New York State Senator for District 30, which is made up of Harlem, East Harlem (El Barrio), the Higher West Aspect, Washington Heights, Hamilton Heights and Morningside Heights.

The investigation into Benjamin got here after the FBI arrested his fundraiser, Gerald Migdol, in November. He’s charged with cord fraud in reference to an alleged crusade fraud scheme connected to previous Benjamin fundraising.

A attorney for Migdol didn’t go back requests for remark. 

After the indictment used to be introduced, the New York Town Marketing campaign Finance Board mentioned in a observation that no public finances have been issued to Benjamin’s crusade.

“The CFB’s audit critiques known doubtlessly fraudulent contributions previous to issuing any public finances bills,” the CFB mentioned. “The ones contributions weren’t matched with public finances, nor did they issue into the crusade qualifying for public finances bills.”

Following the affirmation that Benjamin used to be being investigated, the lieutenant governor’s place of job referred inquiries to its Nov. 19 press observation issued on the time of Migdol’s arrest by which it mentioned it used to be ready to cooperate.

“Neither Lieutenant Governor Benjamin nor his crusade are being accused of any wrongdoing and they’re ready to completely cooperate with government,” it mentioned. “As quickly because the crusade found out that those contributions have been improperly sourced, they donated them to the Marketing campaign Finance Board, pursuant to steerage bought from the CFB.”

Benjamin’s arrest is simply the newest scandal in New York’s political realm.

Former New York Meeting Speaker Sheldon Silver, some of the tough politicians within the state for many years ahead of being ousted and despatched to jail on corruption fees, fall from grace used to be additionally because of misconduct.

Silver, who passed on to the great beyond in the back of bars in previous this yr, at one time used to be one of the vital 3 maximum tough state officers in New York. He used to be the Meeting’s chief for greater than twenty years ahead of his abrupt ouster in 2015 after the corruption allegations emerged.

He used to be in the end convicted in a scheme that concerned a kind of unlawful back-scratching that has lengthy plagued Albany. He supported regulation that benefited actual property builders he knew. In go back, they referred tax industry to a legislation company that hired Silver, which then paid him charges.

Moreover, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo additionally confronted a political scandal that lead him to surrender amid sexual harrassment allegations.

Whilst, Cuomo stepped down closing yr, apparently he’s considering a political comeback and dangling the chance he would possibly run for his former process simply six months after he resigned amid sexual harassment allegations.

Cuomo gave a campaign-style speech in March to a pleasant target audience of about 100 other folks within the Bronx, the place he framed his fall from energy as “cancel tradition” run amok.

Requested after his speech if he would run for place of job, Cuomo instructed newshounds he’s “open to all choices.” He additionally commented on a contemporary ballot that confirmed him aggressive in a hypothetical New York number one, announcing that he discovered the consequences “enjoyable, however I have by no means lived by means of the polls.”

Under is a listing of different high-ranking New York officers who’ve resigned or confronted prison time within the wake of scandal:

• Oct. 17, 1913 – Within the historical past of the state, just one governor has ever been impeached. William Sulzer, the thirty ninth governor of New York, were within the seat for lower than a yr ahead of he used to be impeached after being accused of failing to document hundreds of bucks in crusade contributions and commingling crusade finances with private finances. He used to be convicted by means of a distinct court docket and got rid of from place of job on Oct. 17, 1913.
• Dec. 22, 2006 – NYS Comptroller Alan Hevesi resigns and pleads to blame to a prison price of defrauding the federal government; later fees lead to a jail sentence.
• March 12, 2008 – Governor Eliot Spitzer pronounces his resignation, efficient March 17, after being stuck in a prostitution sting in Washington, DC.  (His successor, David Paterson, had a number of scandals of his personal, together with accusations of perjury, witness tampering or even rumors of intercourse and drug escapades that have been by no means confirmed, however they didn’t result in his resignation.)
• July 18, 2008 – NYS Senate Majority Chief Joseph Bruno resigns his Senate seat, after stepping down as Senate chief on June 24, amid federal corruption fees; later convicted on two prison counts.  The USA Splendid Court docket overturned his conviction; a later retrial led to acquittal. 
• June 20, 2011 – Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner — a once-rising megastar within the Democratic Birthday celebration who served just about 12 years in Congress — had a dramatic and sordid fall from grace after he despatched a lewd image of himself over Twitter in 2011 and resigned after the habits got here to mild.
• Jan. 30, 2015 – NYS Meeting Speaker Sheldon Silver resigns as Speaker, efficient February 2, following his arrest on federal corruption fees.  Later that yr, he’s convicted on seven counts. Even supposing that conviction used to be overturned, he used to be convicted once more in a later trial.  He’s recently in federal jail.
• Would possibly 11, 2015 – Dean Skelos steps down from his place as Majority Chief of the NYS Senate, every week after his arrest on federal corruption fees in conjunction with his son.  Later that yr, he used to be convicted, routinely shedding his seat.   An appeals court docket overturned his conviction, however he used to be discovered to blame once more on retrial.  Remaining yr he used to be launched from jail to serve the rest of his sentence below space arrest after trying out certain for COVID.
• Would possibly 7, 2018 – NYS Lawyer Basic Eric Schneiderman resigns hours after the New Yorker printed an editorial detailing allegations of bodily abuse.