DOJ PRESS RELEASE: NY State Legislator Indicted for Corruption

United States Attorney Southern District of New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DECEMBER 10, 2008
CONTACT:
U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
YUSILL SCRIBNER
REBEKAH CARMICHAEL
JANICE OH
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
(212) 637-2600


NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLYMAN INDICTED FOR HONEST SERVICES MAIL FRAUD
LEV L. DASSIN, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a federal grand jury in Manhattan returned an Indictment today charging ANTHONY SEMINERIO, a New York State Assemblyman, with one count of honest services mail fraud. SEMINERIO, who has served as a member of the Assembly representing New York's 38th Assembly district in Queens since approximately 1978, was previously charged in a criminal Complaint filed in federal court on September 9, 2008. According to the Indictment filed today in Manhattan federal court:

From approximately April 2000 through September 2008, SEMINERIO defrauded the public of his honest services as a member of the Assembly by using an alleged consulting firm, Marc Consultants, to solicit and receive “consulting” payments from persons and entities having business before the State of New York.

SEMINERIO, however, did little or no consulting work. Instead, SEMINERIO received approximately $1 million from various entities with business before the State of New York, in connection with his position as a member of the Assembly and with the performance of his official duties, resulting in favorable treatment for those entities in New York State Government. The entities that made these payments included hospitals and related entities; a consulting firm associated with an educational institution; and a firm engaged in marketing supplemental insurance packages to public institutions.

SEMINERIO, 73, of Queens, New York, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the charge set forth in the indictment.

This case is assigned to United States District Judge JOHN G. KOELTL.

Mr. DASSIN praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys DANIEL STEIN and WILLIAM HARRINGTON are in charge of the prosecution.

The charge contained in the Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.