State Senator Pleads Guilty to Accepting $1 Million in Bribes
State Senator Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) resigned his office today, shortly before pleading guilty to federal corruption charges. He admitted conspiring to accept at least $1 million in bribes.
Kruger will be sentenced in April 2012, when prosecutors are expected to recommend that he receive between 9 and 11 years in prison. He will also forfeit $450,000. (Read the Kruger/Turano plea agreement.)
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said:
“As chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Carl Kruger stood near the apex of political power in New York State. With Senator Kruger’s guilty plea today, yet another lawmaker-turned-lawbreaker has now been removed from an undeserved position of power in Albany.”
Kruger was first elected to the Senate in 1994; he served as chairman of the powerful Senate Finance Committee in 2009 and 2010, when the Democrats held the majority.
The guilty plea arose out of a broad corruption investigation by the U.S. Attorney that also resulted in the arrests of Assemblyman William Boyland Jr. (D-Brooklyn), two hospital executives, a lobbyist and a developer.
Also entering a guilty plea today was Michael Turano, a close companion of Kruger’s; he plead guilty to one count of conspiracy count, for which he will face up to five years in prison.
Assemblyman Boyland (D-Brooklyn) was recently acquitted of conspiring to take $175,000 in bribes in return for using his influence on behalf of a health care organization that operates hospitals in Queens and Brooklyn. He was then indicted again on bribe solicitation charges.
In September, hospital executive David Rosen was convicted of conspiring to bribe Senator Kruger and Assemblyman Boyland.
The 27th Senate District seat will remain vacant until the Governor calls a special election, which he is expected to do in early 2012.