Martinez's Day in Court
July 16th, 2009
As expected, Miguel Martinez, who resigned his City Council seat Tuesday, today pleaded guilty to three felony counts involving the misuse of public money intended for nonprofit organizations, the City Room reports. Martinez told federal judge Paul Crotty that, during his time in the council, he stole $106,000, much of which was supposed to go to nonprofit groups including the Washington Heights Art Center and Upper Manhattan Council Assisting Neighbors. Martinez also admitted that he had approved $51,000 in fraudulent invoices submitted to his office. He said he was able to steal all this money “because I was a New York City councilman.”
Martinez will be sentenced in October and is free on bond until then. Although each of the three counts carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, prosecutors have recommended that he serve 57 to 71 months.
Martinez is the first council member charged in conjunction with the council slush fund scandal involving misuse of member’s discretionary spending, although two aides to Councilmember Kendall Stewart were indicted last year and pleaded guilty.
Martinez may not be the last, though. As Ray Rivera writes in today’s Times, federal investigators are known to be looking at nonprofit groups closely tied to Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo and are also reported to be investigating Councilmember Larry Seabrook.
By Gail Robinson on July 16, 2009, 3:06 pmIn category: Crime & Safety, Electoral Politics, Gotham City | 1 Comment »


July 21st, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Why did Gotham fail to recognize the investigation against Councilman Erik Dilan?