The indictment unsealed against Councilman Ruben W. Wills, a Democrat who represents southeastern Queens, included multiple counts of fraud and grand larceny in connection with more than $30,000 in public funds that went missing from a charity Mr. Wills used to run. It also accused Mr. Wills and a relative, Jelani R. Mills, who was also arrested, of conspiring to steal public campaign funds by creating a fraudulent business.
Heh. Heh. Heh. The charity in question was “New York 4 Life”, which the paper of record describes as an “anti-obesity charity”.
According to the authorities, Mr. Wills obtained a $33,000 state grant to start up New York 4 Life. The money was earmarked to the group by former State Senator Shirley L. Huntley of Queens, who was later sentenced to prison in a separate corruption investigation.
On an unrelated note: former State Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin had his prison term reduced from ten years to six. I enjoy the NYT lead:
There may have been more corrupt politicians in New York than former State Assemblyman Brian M. McLaughlin, even though he admitted stealing from his campaign, the state government, labor unions, even a Little League program in Queens.
He stole from the Little League? He took money from kids? Why reduce his sentence?
Answer: because he flipped.
Mr. McLaughlin’s assistance, prosecutors said in court papers, helped them win convictions for bribery and corruption against State Senator Carl Kruger, Assemblyman Anthony S. Seminerio and David Rosen, the chief executive of the nonprofit MediSys Health Network.
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