More Charges Added Against Former N.Y. Senate Leader Skelos and Son
Former New York Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos faces new charges he demanded illegal payments be made to his son Adam from the head of an insurance administrator seeking favorable legislation in Albany.
The case stems from when the company’s CEO hired Adam Skelos for a job he wasn’t licensed to perform, according to prosecutors. Skelos often didn’t bother to show up, according to the indictment.
The younger Skelos bragged to other employees that he was “entitled to special treatment because his father was the Senate Majority Leader and that his father and the CEO had an arrangement,” the U.S. said in a revised indictment filed Tuesday in Manhattan federal court. Adam Skelos also allegedly threatened to “smash in” the supervisor’s head when the person complained.
Adding two new crimes, the U.S. said the elder Skelos “repeatedly solicited” the executive to direct money to Adam while the firm was lobbying Skelos in 2012. After Adam Skelos threatened the supervisors, his father told the unidentified executive they needed to resolve any issues so Adam could remain employed with the malpractice insurance administrator.
The executive believed if Adam Skelos was fired, “then the CEO could lose access to Dean Skelos and Dean Skelos could take adverse action on legislation important to the malpractice insurance administrator’s business interests,” the U.S. said.
Defense lawyers for Skelos and his son couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.
Dean Skelos, a Republican, and his son previously pleaded not guilty to charges in the case. Both could face as long as 20 years if convicted of extortion, fraud or other charges.
The case is U.S. v. Skelos, 15-cr-00317, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).
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