[Iran Press TV] State Senator Carl Kruger who for months had insisted on his innocence, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to federal corruption charges, admitting that he conspired to accept at least $1 million in bribes, which prosecutors have said supported a lavish lifestyle.Kruger, an influential Democrat and 16-year politician, stood before Judge Jed S. Rakoff in United States District Court in Manhattan and pleaded guilty to four of the five counts in the indictment against him. The charges included two counts of fraud conspiracy, for which he could face up to 20 years in prison each, and two counts of bribery conspiracy, which carry a maximum term of five years each.
Before his plea, Kruger submitted a letter of resignation to the Senate, saying, "I hereby resign my office as state senator for the 27th District, Kings County, effective immediately." By pleading guilty to a felony, Kruger would have automatically lost his job.
Ah, sounds like there's pension in play here. Probably a damn nice one...
I wondered about that. And pro'ly a law that says you can't take back a convicted pol's pension under any circumstances...
The broad corruption investigation, which also resulted in the arrests of Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr., two hospital executives, a lobbyist and a developer, indicated that Kruger used the money to live beyond his means; a prime example of that; prosecutors said, was his mansion in Mill Basin, Brooklyn, where he lived with two gynecologist brothers and their mother.
One of the brothers, Michael Turano, was also charged with all five counts, but pleaded guilty to a single bribery conspiracy count, for which he would face a maximum of five years in prison.