crimes and misdemeanors

Alan Hevesi Probably Going to Prison

Former state controller Alan Hevesi, who resigned from office in 2006 after pleading guilty to having state workers chauffeur his wife, will reportedly be pleading guilty in the near future to a felony charge of corruption for his role in the state pension pay-to-play scheme. At this point, the Times reports that Hevesi “has not been formally implicated in the scandal, and it remains unclear what specific offense Mr. Hevesi would plead guilty to, or what wrongdoing he would admit.” But Andrew Cuomo’s attorney general’s office has been taking down aides and associates of Hevesi’s for years — 123 counts against his political adviser Hank Morris are yet to be resolved — for accepting bribes in exchange for investment by the pension fund. And though Hevesi has claimed he was shocked — shocked! — by such revelations, he and his family were reportedly the beneficiaries of $75,000’s worth of luxury trips to Israel provided by California money manager Elliott Broidy in return for access to the fund.

As a political matter, a successful outcome in a high-profile case like this would bring some positive attention to Cuomo and help him in the battle against Carl Paladino over who is best suited to “clean up Albany.”

Hevesi Is Expected to Plead Guilty in Pension Case [NYT]

Alan Hevesi Probably Going to Prison