Bribery, fraud charges dropped against former New York Lt. Governor
Associated PressNEW YORK — Federal prosecutors on Friday dropped bribery and fraud charges against former New York Lt. Gov. In a written opinion, Oetken wrote that prosecutors failed to allege an explicit example in which Benjamin provided a favor for a bribe, an essential element of bribery and honest services fraud charges. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan reinstated the charges, saying an indictment in the case “sufficiently alleged an explicit quid pro quo.” The appeals court said a jury could infer from facts in the case that Benjamin promised to allocate $50,000 in state funds to a nonprofit organization controlled by Migdol in return for campaign contributions from the developer. At the time, Berke said on his client’s behalf that the “facts are clear that Mr. Benjamin did nothing other than engage in routine fundraising and support a nonprofit providing needed resources to Harlem public schools.” The Supreme Court had recently declined to hear an appeal of the 2nd Circuit’s decision.
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