NEW YORK – Lieutenant Governor Brian Benjamin turned himself into authorities in Manhattan on Tuesday morning and was arrested and indicted on several charges including bribery and honest services wire fraud.
After Benjamin entered a not guilty plea in federal court, he was released on a $250,000 bond in what US Attorney Damian Williams calls “A simple story of corruption.”
Williams continued by saying “As alleged, Brian Benjamin used his power as a New York state senator to secure a state-funded grant in exchange for contributions to his own political campaigns. By doing so, Benjamin abused his power and effectively used state funds to support his political campaigns.”
Governor Kathy Hochul appointed Benjamin to his current position in September of 2021. He was serving as the state senator representing Harlen when he was chosen by the governor.
The US Attorney says that “From at least in or about 2019, up to and including at least in or about 2021, Benjamin participated in a scheme to obtain campaign contributions from a Harlem-based real estate developer in exchange for Benjamin’s use of his official authority and influence as a New York State senator to obtain a $50,000 state-funded grant for a non-profit organization controlled by the developer.” In the court documents, it is alleged that Benjamin and others acting on his behalf or at his direction then engaged in a series of lies and deceptions to cover up his scheme, including by falsifying campaign donor forms, misleading city regulators, and providing false information on vetting forms he completed while seeking to be the Lieutenant Governor of New York State.
The 45-year-old Harlem resident is charged with one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit those offenses, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison; and two counts of falsification of records, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
