Indictment.2C trial and imprisonment Brian M. McLaughlin

1 indictment, trial , imprisonment

1.1 indictment

1.1.1 post-indictment


1.2 trial

1.2.1 post-trial

indictment, trial , imprisonment
indictment

in march 2006, fbi raided mclaughlin s offices, making public fact being investigated.

in october 2006, mclaughlin indicted on 44 federal counts, including racketeering, money laundering, bank , mail fraud, labor bribery, , embezzlement. placed under arrest. accused of stealing virtually every organization involved, said new york post.

at news conference announcing 186-page indictment, michael j. garcia, united states attorney manhattan, described extent of mclaughlin s alleged financial misdeeds stunning in breadth , scope, , said, case lends new meaning term hand in till ... have here story of greed.

the new york times reported mclaughlin had legally made $263,600 in combined salaries , expenses assemblyman , labor council president. times further described charges ranging dickensian (stealing $95,000 little league baseball teams pay rent) brazen (creating 2 no-show jobs on legislative payroll , keeping part of 1 salary). labor experts expressed shock when hearing of charges brought mclaughlin. labor historian joshua freeman, of city university of new york, said, if these charges prove true, s blot on union movement.

according charges, mclaughlin had stolen more $2.2 million state, union, political club, campaign , little league. little league team in question, mclaughlin had allegedly skimmed $95,000, run electchester athletic association. mclaughlin had reportedly solicited donations team, founded, took money after deposited in 1 of organization s bank accounts. according indictment, mclaughlin became furious when learned team official tried use $2,800 pay legitimate softball expenses, saying: f-----g money s f-----g spending on other stuff, ain t money... s mine.

the indictment alleged mclaughlin got united way charity fund commission on dignity of immigrants program. reported mclaughlin put relative in charge funneled $94,000 salary him.

the indictment charged mclaughlin took more $140,000 street lights division of local 3 of international brotherhood of electrical workers, served business representative, plus $185,000 central labor council, more $35,000 state assembly, , more $330,000 own re-election committee. moreover, charged illegally received more $1.4 million street-lighting contractors , other companies , lighting contractors gave him 3 cars — 1 of gave son , second woman whom had close personal relationship.

the indictment charged mclaughlin had used subordinates personal servants, take dog veterinarian, hang christmas lights, trap rodents in basement , clean out barn. charged making aide use e-zpass @ tollbooths make appear had returned home albany later had, allowing him bill daily allowances given legislators. moreover, accused of using more $330,000 re-election campaign funds pay personal expenses rehearsal dinner son s wedding, renovation of $760,000 house in suffolk county near long island sound, payment of country club membership fees , purchase , installation of plasma television female friend. in addition, mclaughlin charged using stolen money $80,000 mercedes-benz wife, marina fees, school tuition 1 of children, rent payments on albany residence , rent payments on queens residence.

mclaughlin charged accepting $450,000 in payments argent electric, owned former new york city mayor abe beame s son, bernard buddy beame, part of secret partnership dating 1999, when city decided switch regular traffic lights light-emitting diodes (leds). argent sought contract provide leds; mclaughlin, head of clc represented electrical workers, have failed provide number of electrical workers needed, or send people weren t skilled, thereby sabotaging contract. beame paid him prevent that. in return efforts mclaughlin , associate @ clc on argent s behalf, including pressuring contractors buy led units firm represented argent , encouraging contractors , clc members buy argent products, beame gave mclaughlin , associate half of argent s profits.

the indictment accused mclaughlin of using street lighting association fund personal piggy bank, routinely diverting money earmarked union members himself, relatives , close friends.

post-indictment

according federal authorities, of money mclaughlin stole reportedly went turn mclaughlin s home in tony nissequogue, l.i., mansion, complete wine cellar , gazebo. of ill-gotten gains funded... personal relationships number of women. 1 of these women, eleanore levitas, allegedly paid sizable sums in 2000 consulting services mclaughlin’s re-election campaign committee, put on clc payroll, , given no-show job street-light contractor. levitas angrily denied charges involving her, describing herself victim of mclaughlin, step-uncle, demetrius pabers, told reporter mclaughlin had picked in strip club in queens, stripping @ time, had showered money, , had given no-show job. insisted had been real job. upsets me partner in crime. m nothing close that.

another 1 of women whom mclaughlin had allegedly showered gifts , cash reported sonia menezes, attractive beauty-spa operator whom carried on long-term relationship.

mclaughlin, represented jonathan bach, pleaded not guilty @ arraignment in federal district court in manhattan before magistrate judge james c. francis iv. noted mclaughlin face 500 years in prison if convicted of charges.

after learning of indictment, uft president randi weingarten, longtime friend , ally of mclaughlin, told new york times, ve been walking around day stunned. ... s when hear re close has died. nobody wants jump conclusions. weingarten suggested perhaps fbi had conducted raid on mclaughlin s office means of pressuring him provide evidence against others. said had lunched mclaughlin on previous wednesday , shocked learn of allegations... don t think of know enough judge today, other our hearts go out brian , family.

following news of indictment, clc s 32-member executive board voted unanimously suspend salary payments mclaughlin, @ time on paid leave of absence. weingarten, member of board, said vote speaks itself.

shortly after mclaughlin s arrest, reportedly described staffers cheapest boss on 2 feet, had refused pay christmas bonuses , argued on paying staffer s health insurance. in addition, had compelled union workers serve personal drivers. 1 mclaughlin staffer said, mclaughlin never should have been allowed state ethics panel simultaneously run union , serve state assemblyman... in twisted way, thought ok.

in november 2006, mclaughlin removed post clc president. had announced in january 2006 not running re-election new york state assembly.

in august 2007, reported mclaughlin, out on bail pending trial, had been last spotted few months ago working electrician again first time in quarter-century - time making $46 hour @ apartment house under construction on manhattan’s west side. quoted saying, i’m @ work because need work.

trial

in march 2008, mclaughlin entered plea of guilty in exchange reduced potential sentence. asked opinion of development, uft president randi weingarten said, brian mclaughlin colleague , close friend... sad day him, family, , labor movement.

at trial in federal district court in manhattan, prosecutors charged mr. mclaughlin had misappropriated more $330,000 own re-election committee; $185,000 new york city central labor council, led; , more $35,000 state assembly. said had created fictitious jobs within labor council , on own legislative staff, , took kickbacks jobholders.

after mclaughlin found guilty in may 2009, federal prosecutor daniel a. braun asked leniency, saying had provided substantial assistance government. mclaughlin s lawyer, michael f. armstrong, said, @ core person went terribly wrong, , realizes that, , realizes fully. mclaughlin apologized judge improper conduct , criminal activity, saying made no excuses it, adding, on last three, 3 , half years, ve had opportunity live way d live life. new york times described apparent reference steps has taken toward rehabilitation attending alcoholics anonymous meetings, cooperating government.

judge richard j. sullivan, however, rejected requests leniency, , sentenced mclaughlin ten years in prison , $25,000 fine. had every opportunity, said sullivan, , used opportunities , squandered them own benefit on monumental scale. prosecution s request leniency reportedly based on fact mclaughlin had aided in investigation of other public officials had committed crimes, such fellow assemblyman anthony s. seminerio, sullivan said mclaughlin s betrayal of public trust outweighed assistance had given. noting receipt of dozens of letters supporting mclaughlin, including 1 afl-cio president john sweeney citing mclaughlin’s long record of service working men , women of new york city, sullivan said portrait of mclaughlin painted sweeney , others did not jibe picture emerged courtroom evidence of man abused trust of institutions , people depended on him sort of staggers mind. sullivan added mclaughlin’s actions confirmed harshest critics of organized labor accuse leadership of corruption, , point example of corruption. sullivan ordered mclaughlin, remained free on bond, surrender on july 21.

post-trial

in july 2009, electrical contractor santo petrocelli, sr., of petrocelli electric company, pleaded guilty making thousands of dollars in illegal payments mclaughlin @ latter s request. petrocelli said had made payments avoid worker slowdown. mclaughlin controlled labor, petrocelli said. didn’t want problems local. relationship between mclaughlin , petrocelli, according u.s. attorney’s office in manhattan, had lasted mid-1990s through 2006, , had involved hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payments, in return mclaughlin had used position benefit petrocelli s business.

as of august, 2011, reported mclaughlin promised pay stole from... yet none of victims - owed more $845,000 - have been repaid. sum included $90,085 owed electchester athletic association s little league team. owed $276,383 electrical workers union, $268,821 ny central labor council, $32,274 state assembly, $19,475 queens political club , $153,939 welsbach electric of college point. had sold nissequogue, l.i. home $652,000 , sold $80,000 mercedes, , in march 2010 had delivered $457,253 check prosecutors expenditure marked preliminary order of forfeiture ; yet of august 2011 still had more $285,000 in campaign war chest - sitting in tax-free bond account earning interest.