This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/nyregion/corruption-albany-pamela-harris.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Brooklyn Assemblywoman Indicted on Fraud Charges | Brooklyn Assemblywoman Indicted on Fraud Charges |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| ALBANY — Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn announced an 11-count indictment against a Brooklyn assemblywoman on Tuesday, alleging a raft of fraud, witness tampering and other charges, just the latest allegation of corruption and bad behavior among legislators in Albany. | ALBANY — Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn announced an 11-count indictment against a Brooklyn assemblywoman on Tuesday, alleging a raft of fraud, witness tampering and other charges, just the latest allegation of corruption and bad behavior among legislators in Albany. |
| The Assembly member, Pamela Harris, a Democrat who represents Bay Ridge, Coney Island and several other south Brooklyn neighborhoods, is accused of four counts of making false statements; two counts of wire fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud; and a single count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, witness tampering and conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to Richard P. Donoghue, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York. | The Assembly member, Pamela Harris, a Democrat who represents Bay Ridge, Coney Island and several other south Brooklyn neighborhoods, is accused of four counts of making false statements; two counts of wire fraud and two counts of bankruptcy fraud; and a single count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, witness tampering and conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to Richard P. Donoghue, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York. |
| In one scheme, prosecutors accused Ms. Harris, 57, of improperly receiving nearly $25,000 in federal disaster funds by falsely claiming that she had been displaced from her Coney Island home by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. | In one scheme, prosecutors accused Ms. Harris, 57, of improperly receiving nearly $25,000 in federal disaster funds by falsely claiming that she had been displaced from her Coney Island home by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. |
| Ms. Harris, a retired corrections officer, was to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon before a United States magistrate. | Ms. Harris, a retired corrections officer, was to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon before a United States magistrate. |
| Ms. Harris was elected in a special election in 2015, and many of the allegations brought by Mr. Donoghue’s office predate her time in public office, as she served the executive director of a nonprofit organization, Coney Island Generation Gap, in Brooklyn. The indictment cites a series of schemes to defraud government agencies including the New York City Council, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and a federal bankruptcy court. | Ms. Harris was elected in a special election in 2015, and many of the allegations brought by Mr. Donoghue’s office predate her time in public office, as she served the executive director of a nonprofit organization, Coney Island Generation Gap, in Brooklyn. The indictment cites a series of schemes to defraud government agencies including the New York City Council, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and a federal bankruptcy court. |
| Prosecutors said Ms. Harris used a forged lease to draw down funds from the City Council — meant to be used to rent a studio space for the nonprofit — and diverted that money to her personal checking account. All told, some $35,000 was received in two separate instances using such funds. She is also accused of telling potential witnesses to lie to federal agents after learning of a grand jury investigation last spring. | Prosecutors said Ms. Harris used a forged lease to draw down funds from the City Council — meant to be used to rent a studio space for the nonprofit — and diverted that money to her personal checking account. All told, some $35,000 was received in two separate instances using such funds. She is also accused of telling potential witnesses to lie to federal agents after learning of a grand jury investigation last spring. |
| Ms. Harris’s office in Brooklyn had no immediate comment on the charges. | Ms. Harris’s office in Brooklyn had no immediate comment on the charges. |
| With the Assembly just starting its business on Tuesday morning, lawmakers in the Capitol seemed surprised by the news. “We are just hearing of this,” said Michael Whyland, a spokesman for Carl E. Heastie, the Bronx assemblyman who serves as the chamber’s speaker. “They are very serious changes and it’s important to let the justice system take its course.” | With the Assembly just starting its business on Tuesday morning, lawmakers in the Capitol seemed surprised by the news. “We are just hearing of this,” said Michael Whyland, a spokesman for Carl E. Heastie, the Bronx assemblyman who serves as the chamber’s speaker. “They are very serious changes and it’s important to let the justice system take its course.” |
| Charles Barron, a fellow Assembly member from Brooklyn, said the charges were shocking and sad, if still unproven, but bound to reflect badly on the State Assembly, whose former leader, Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, was convicted of federal corruption charges in 2015. (Mr. Silver’s conviction was vacated last year, but he is expected to be retried in 2018.) | Charles Barron, a fellow Assembly member from Brooklyn, said the charges were shocking and sad, if still unproven, but bound to reflect badly on the State Assembly, whose former leader, Sheldon Silver, a Democrat, was convicted of federal corruption charges in 2015. (Mr. Silver’s conviction was vacated last year, but he is expected to be retried in 2018.) |
| “Once you violate the trust of the people,” Mr. Barron said, “that makes it very, very difficult.” |