Dean Skelos indicted

New accusation added against former majority leader

Posted

On May 28, state Senator Dean Skelos and his son, Adam, were formally indicted on corruption charges that were brought against them by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

Skelos, 67, the longtime senator from Rockville Centre, and his son Adam, 32, were initially arrested on May 4. They were each charged with three counts of extortion under color of official right, two counts of soliciting bribes in connection with a federal program and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud. The charges carry a combined maximum sentence of 100 years.

The charges stemmed from what Bharara said was Skelos using his position as Majority Leader to secure jobs and benefits for his son. At the center of the case was a contract for an Arizona-based company, AbTech, that Bhrarara claims Skelos used his influence to have passed in Nassau County. Adam Skelos was working for the company at the time. Skelos allegedly helped secure more than $200,000 in payments for his son.

The indictment also added that Skelos helped secure $100,000 in health benefits and payments for his son from a medical malpractice insurer for which he did no work.

“I am innocent of the charges leveled against me,” Skelos said in an emailed statement after the initial charges were filed. “I am not saying I am just not guilty, I am saying that I am innocent. I fully expect to be exonerated by a public jury trial.”

Though the Republicans in the Senate initially rallied behind Skelos when the charges against him were first announced, that support quickly eroded. On May 11, a week after his arrest, Skelos stepped down as Majority Leader and was replaced by Sen. John Flanagan, a Republican from East Northport.