Joe Percoco, Ex-Cuomo Aide Convicted On Three Felonies In Bribery Case
Joseph Percoco, former aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was found guilty of three counts in his federal corruption trial.
ALBANY – Joseph Percoco, a former top aide and confidant to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was convicted Tuesday of three felony three corruption charges in connection with accepting more than $300,000 in payments from companies with business before the state, according to reports. The South Salem, Westchester County resident was cleared of three others charges when jurors returned a mixed and partial verdict against him and three co-defendants.
Manhattan federal Judge Valerie Caproni told the jury, “Yes, you can return a verdict on some counts, but not all.”
“I have never experienced this chronology,” she told lawyers on both sides before delivering the instruction.
Percoco, 48, is accused of collecting more than $300,000 in bribes from the co-defendants to help their companies with business before the state.
Prosecutors said he was struggling to pay for his $815,000 home and leaned on Todd Howe, a disgraced former lobbyist and one-time aide to Cuomo when he was federal housing secretary, to arrange payments from his clients to help make ends meet.
Peter Galbraith Kelly, a former vice president of Competitive Power Ventures, is accused of arranging a low-show job for Percoco’s wife that ended up paying her $280,000 over three years.
He was acquitted of the extortion charges.
Cuomo has not been accused of wrongdoing.
