Ex-NY lieutenant governor's corruption case ends after key witness dies: report

Federal prosecutors are ending the bribery case against former New York Lieutenant Gov. Brian Benjamin, in light of the death of a key witness, reported The New York Times on Friday.

This decision "lifts a cloud that has followed Mr. Benjamin, a Democrat, since April 2022 when the government first accused him of funneling state money to a real estate developer in exchange for campaign contributions. The charges, announced in a splashy news conference, forced Mr. Benjamin to resign and all but ended his political career," noted the report.

Benjamin, who denies the charges against him, had asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the case, which they refused to do at the end of last year. However, prosecutors suffered a blow after Gerald Migdol, the developer who pleaded guilty and was cooperating with authorities against Benjamin, died in February.

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The case had alleged that Benjamin, while serving in the state Senate, arranged for a $50,000 grant to Migdol's nonprofit in Harlem, in return for Migdol illegally funneling campaign contributions to Benjamin.

Prosecutors believed Migdol's cooperation was central to proving the allegations. In a filing with the judge, prosecutors wrote, “Based on a review of the evidence in the case, and in light of the death of cooperating witness and co-defendant Gerald Migdol, the government has determined that it can no longer prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, the charges in the indictment.”

Benjamin and his legal team have proclaimed vindication from the decision.

Ultimately, Hochul replaced Benjamin with then-Congressman Antonio Delgado, who currently serves in the lieutenant governor position.