Former Nassau County Executive Sentenced to 12 Years in Bribery Scheme

Edward P. Mangano, the previous Nassau County govt who for years participated in a bribery and kickback scheme, was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in federal jail for his position in what prosecutors known as “a tradition of corruption” on the coronary heart of Lengthy Island’s Republican political machine.

Mr. Mangano, 60, was convicted in March 2019 on counts together with bribery and wire fraud. It was the second trial within the case, after the primary resulted in a mistrial in 2018. He was acquitted on two counts, together with an extortion cost.

Mr. Mangano’s spouse, Linda, 59, was convicted on the similar trial on 4 counts, together with making false statements and obstruction of justice. She was sentenced in a separate continuing Thursday, additionally in federal court docket on Lengthy Island, to fifteen months in jail.

Prosecutors at trial confirmed that, between 2010 and 2015, Mr. Mangano accepted bribes and kickbacks from a Lengthy Island restaurant proprietor, Harendra Singh, in alternate for favorable official actions, together with steering contracts to Mr. Singh and serving to him safe about $20 million in loans.

Mr. Mangano obtained an costly therapeutic massage chair, new hardwood flooring, and a $7,300 watch from Mr. Singh, the federal government mentioned. Mr. Singh additionally helped prepare and subsidize a Mangano household journey to Turks and Caicos, prosecutors mentioned.

When the authorities obtained wind of Mr. Mangano’s actions, prosecutors mentioned, the Manganos conspired to derail a grand jury investigation — and Ms. Mangano lied to the F.B.I. a few no-show job she held as a “meals taster” at considered one of Mr. Singh’s eating places, Water’s Edge, for which she was paid greater than $450,000.

Mr. Singh himself was on the heart of a number of public corruption investigations led by New York federal prosecutors, centering on his companies and political connections.

In 2016, Mr. Singh pleaded responsible to bribing Mr. Mangano and admitted to his position in different bribery schemes involving Lengthy Island officers. He has not but been sentenced.

He additionally secretly admitted to making an attempt to bribe former New York mayor Invoice de Blasio — their relationship had been the main target of a federal investigation that finally yielded no fees in opposition to the previous mayor, who denied wrongdoing.

Since their 2016 arrest, the Manganos have steadfastly maintained their innocence and have sought to have the conviction overturned. In a memo to the court docket filed forward of the sentencing, Mr. Mangano’s lawyer, Kevin J. Keating, mentioned Mr. Singh — the federal government’s lead witness — had lied at trial and mentioned prosecutors had not confirmed their case.

Mr. Keating didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark after Thursday’s sentencing.

Mr. Keating requested for “substantial leniency” at sentencing and mentioned Mr. Mangano would proceed to hunt exoneration. The U.S. lawyer’s workplace for the Japanese District of New York, which incorporates Lengthy Island, sought a sentence of greater than 17 years, citing his “brazen use of a authorities place to complement himself.” Prosecutors requested Decide Joan M. Azrack for a 30-month sentence for Ms. Mangano.

Of their sentencing memorandum filed final month, federal prosecutors mentioned Mr. Mangano “engaged in a surprising abuse of energy” from the second he took workplace in 2010. They famous that he by no means accepted accountability for the convicted crimes, and mentioned Ms. Mangano “reveals an utter lack of regret.”