Preet Bharara’s Big Fish in Westchester Corruption—Al Pirro
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara
- Al Pirro
The recent New York Times story written by Benjamin Weiser speaks volumes about where U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is taking his case of political corruption in Westchester County. And while there is currently a trial in Federal Court in lower Manhattan to determine whether former Yonkers City Councilwoman Sandy Annabi sold her votes on the council for cash, and whether former Yonkers GOP Chairman Zehy Jereis provided her that cash for her vote, the bigger bust and the indictments of much larger Fish in the pool of Westchester politics is yet to come.
Weiser’s story highlights Al Pirro, Westchester lobbyist, dealmaker, and husband of former District Attorney Jeanine Pirro. Pirro is not charged in the Annabi-Jereis bribery trial, but Weiser explains how Pirro was orchestrating the lobbying effort by Forest City Ratner to win approval to build their Ridge Hill Village development project.
“During a meeting with one council member, Mr. Pirro turned the conversation to how others on the Council might vote, according to a prosecution account described in a judge’s ruling released late Tuesday; when it came to assessing one member, Sandy Annabi, he showed no hesitation, the account continued,” writes Weiser.
“He was confident, according to the same account, that he could win her vote by giving a job to one of her friends, Zehy Jereis, then the chairman of the Yonkers Republican Party. “I am not worried about Sandy Annabi,” Mr. Pirro was quoted as saying to Dennis Robertson, then a councilman. “We will just give Zehy a consulting contract, and we will get her vote.” Why did Weiser choose to focus on Al Pirro?
If you had to name the two most powerful figures in Westchester politics during the period of 1995-2005, I would name Nick Spano and Al Pirro. Nick Spano is now cooperating with Federal authorities, after pleading guilty to income tax evasion for a period of 2001-2005?? Verify
While many are concerned that Spano’s deal lets him ‘get off’ only with the tax charges, if you read the plea agreement and press releases on the Spano deal, it paints a different picture.
Prosecutors showed us three examples of Spano hiding his income received from a consulting contract-$480,000; a real estate commission-$45,000; and rental income-xxx—get it . But there are many other cases of Nick Spano hiding his income over the 1990’s and 2000’s
The plea agreement also does not preclude the US Attorney from charging Spano with other offenses. In order to steer clear of any other charges, and serve his sentence quickly and return to Westchester, Spano needs to stay in the good graces of our Federal Government.
Spano spent tens thousands of dollars —look on the blog for it —on legal bills-to the law firm Levitt & Kaizer, in 2010 and 2011—before he was ever charged with a crime. We can now assume that these legal bills where for the many conversations that Spano’s attorney Richard Levitt, had with the Feds concerning what Nick would plead guilty to and what he could give the Feds in exchange for leniency.
Nick Spano had to explain his role in ‘everything’ that happened in Westchester politics over a 20 year period. If he is caught in a lie, more charges, and a longer jail sentence will be coming his way.
US Attorney Preet Bharara is now a national figure. From the front page of Time Magazine, Bharara is now playing the role of crime buster-like Rudy Giuliani, Elliot Spitzer and Andrew Cuomo played.
Here in Westchester, Bharara needs a big fish. And if Bharara agreed to give Nick Spano a deal-Nick would have to give up someone bigger than him. And that person, we believe, is Al Pirro.
Al Pirro was the Godfather of Westchester politics, the courts, and developments projects throughout the county. Al Pirro is a bigger fish than Nick Spano, because of his famous ex-spouse-Jeanine Pirro.
A wiretap in a Federal Organized crime case has Mo Sanginiti talking about a payment of $50,000 to “The Italian Executive.” For years, many have wondered who the Italian Executive was. Was it Andy Spano? Was it Nick Spano? (No relation).We believe that it’s Al Pirro.
Al plead guilty to tax evasion charges back in 2000, and served 11 months in Club Fed. He then returned to his role as Westchester dealmaker, including his work on the Ridge Hill project.
Al took the blame for the tax returns signed by both Al and Jeannie. But that was when they were married. The question now becomes will Al keep quiet about all of the bedroom deals and conversations made between Mr. and Mrs. Pirro in the 90’s and 2000’s. Will Al take the hit again? Or is there too much water under the bridge.
The Biggest Fish in the Pool of Westchester political corruption is Jeanine Pirro. Now a TV star in Hollywood—if US Attorney Bharara has both the will, and the evidence to take down our former DA-he makes history.
Al Pirro is only mentioned in the Ridge Hill case to prove that Annabi could and would sell her vote. But Zehy Jereis was working with Al for years in Westchester, and Al and Annabi were also close.
One more item—Jereis’ attorney claimed in his opening statement that the reason Jereis gave Annabi money, and lots of it–$160,000 over several years, was not because of illegal politics, but because of love.
This is a ludicrous claim that the jury should not believe. Having covered both Jereis and Annabi for years, here’s what I have heard and seen.
I-The word on Jereis and Annabi were that they were cousins, both coming from the same family in Jordan, with both admitting that they were distantly related.
II- Jereis has bragged about his ability to influence the vote of his cousin, and used that supposed influence to gain favor and jobs-primarily the $60,000 consulting job he got from Forest City Ratner.
III-Annabi had her romantic sights set on others. She enjoyed using her beauty and flirtatious ways to win favor, but never used it publicly towards Jereis when the two were together.
The last chance for deal in this case will come on Tuesday, before the first witness, former Councilwoman Dee Barbato takes the stand. Several councilmembers will take the stand to set the stage for star witness Anthony Mangone. The Councilmembers will highlight Annabi’s opposition to the Ridge Hlll development project in the weeks before she switched her vote. Once the first witness takes the stand, all deals are off.
Annabi attorney Bill Aronwald appears ready, willing and able to try this case, and let the government attempt to prove the Quid Pro Quo—that any money given to Annabi directly correlated to her vote for Ridge Hill.
Many believe that either Annabi is innocent, or it will be difficult or impossible for the Feds to prove the case against her. Let’s see what happens.
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Gee, I used to use the term Don Nick, now I have to use the term Don Al? It does not have the same ring…
The big difference is for all the back room deals that Nick Spano did over the years, at least he did at lot of good things for a lot of people. What good did Al Pirro do except for himself?
Nice piece Dan. Only one small correction. Al Pirro did not plead guilty. Although with all those who are these days it’s understandable that you might remember it that way. On the contrary, Al engaged in what we call “motion practice” from late December 1997 right up to his trial in June 2000.
Then United States Attorney MaryJo White cleverly let it leak out that the Pirros’ joint returns going all the way back to 1988 were under investigation, whereupopn Al, like the guilty jerk he was, immediately amended 10 years of returns paying up some $1.25 million, a virtual confession. Then for two and a half years he tried desperately to avoid trial with motion practice, but to no avail.
He did, however, succeed in reducing the original 67 count indictment to 38 counts, when Judge Barrington Parker redacted the last 29 counts, actually the most egregious, that involved the rip-off of the Hudson Valley Hospital Center, (Peekskill Hospital) with the able assistance of Robert Boyle, and George Pataki, hospital board members.
Despite his conviction after jury trial on all 38 remaining counts on June 20, 2000, Al managed to reduce his already light 29 month sentence, in a “Federal Country Club” in Florida, to only 11 months by taking the advice of a $50,000 sentencing consultant and worming his way into the drug and alcohol treatment program, thus reducing his prison time by nearly two thirds. And, although the Appellate Division only first suspended his law license in May of 2002 for a period of three years, he went right on practicing law right under their noses, appearing before planning and zoning boards, particularly in White Plains, calling himself a “consultant” like his old law partner Mike Edelman is so fond of doing.
Once again, nice piece Dan!
I hope Sandy Annabi is found not guilty. Her only crime is her great beauty which caused her undue attention in the ugly sordid world of Yonkers politics.
To Poster #3, while I find myself, having known Sandy for some 11 years, agreeing with your assessment of her “great beauty” not to mention her womanly charm and charisma, surely, she knew exactly who all of the players were. And, I wish I had a tank of gas for every time, over the years, I warned her to stay away from Nick Spano, and his henchmen Jereis and Mangone, because they were eventually going to ruin what might have been an equally beautiful career in public service. Her constituents loved her, and still do, men and women alike, particularly the senior set.
I am not prepared to judge her, and, frankly it hurts to consider the damage any confinement for an extended period in prison will likely bring to her. Whatever the outcome of her trial, the bromide, “Lay down with dogs; and, get up with fleas” surely applies. No doubt there is much regret.
I find it amazing how the federal government makes deals with the true criminals and spends millions to prosecute those that may be innocent or have been thrown in the mix as sacrificial lambs. The SDNY is a joke, and Pret is also unattached from the scombs that have grasped that entity for years. Wake up and smell the coffee–There has been a line of cases that are more than suspect, including this case against Annabi, DiPietro case, Diguglielmo case, Disimione case—etc..
Let’s really examine what the SDNY has done so far in its “corruption probe”—Verdict: A SMOKE AND MIRROR TRICK RESULTING IN PRET DOING NOTHING!!! The SDNY has signed up a bunch of lowlifes to prosecute those that are innocent and has protected those people that have ruined our county for years. Her is a short list: Anthony Mangone (Cooperating Witness), Maurizio Sanginiti (Cooperating Witness), Al Pirro (Uncharged), Nick Spano (Plea Deal), Jeanine Pirro (talk shows), Janet DiFiore (DA & Ethics Commission),Giulio Cavallo ..etccccc
What ever happened to the probe into why Al Pirro was paying Annabi’s bills. I guess the Pirro’s own the rights to monopoly
You know Poster #5 might just have something there worth considering. Surely, at this point in the game it would appear that they have taken an awfully long time to just putter arouind the edges, particularly in light of all that has been turned over to them. In point of fact the last seven years, stretching back into Pirro’s departure, and the emergence of DiFiore, have been particularly uneventful and rather disappointing from the standpoint of reasonable citizens’ expectations, expectations of their Justice Department.
Case In Point: Consider the Yonkers Police Department under field investigation by the FBI for more than five years now, for dozens of documented cases of severe police brutality. We are talking men, women and children folks! Back in August of 2006 a weekly newspaper began investigating and reporting wanton beatings by a band of some 25, or so Yonkers police officers, immediately prompting the resignation of Commissioner Taggart, a 27 year veteran of the force. The NAACP began running speakouts at the Riverfront Library, and Pace law professor Randolph McLaughlin, and Debra Cohen, and several law students attended and documented dozens of horror stories.
The FBI came into the City, and actually interviewed a number of complainants. However nothing ever came of it. In fact when Officer Wayne Simoes decided for no good reason to turn Irma Marquez into a ragdoll to be body-slammed, face first, through a seven-foot arc onto the concrete and tile floor of a bar on Palisade Ave. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Dunne found the way to get him acquitted by keeping her mouth shut and sitting like a manikin between two junior attorneys taking no real issue with Defense Counsel’s absurd representations regarding Officer Simoes’ intent, when, in actuality the entire incident was captured on a security camera.and played repeatedly.
Simoes skated, and some 30 of his buddies cheered him on as he referred to the charges against
him as “garbage” outside the Federal Courthouse in White Plains. Yet that same prosecutor Cynthia Dunne saw fit to prosecute former Westchester Correction Officer Paul Cote in the death of a very belligerant homeless panhandler, when, in fact, that death was clearly caused by Cote’s fellow CO John Marc Reimer who having been punched in the face by the panhandler in the County Jail, proceeded to slam him down head first just as Simoes had done to Marquez. Of course Reimer was Dunne’s prosecution witness requiring merely 17 hours of rehearsing to get his story straight enough to tell the jury.
And these are the tax-payer financed critters we now rely upon to do the right thing and to bring down the likes of Jeanine Pirro and Janet DiFiore for all of their election fraud, prosecutorial misconduct, civil rights , and suborning of perjury, etc. Don’t hold your breath.
you got it wrong …pirro was not involved..not called to the grand jury not called as a witness
even robertson said in his testimony that pirro was bloviating….bad reporting inacurate facts
its why you should stop posting this nonsense
Dan, your reporting is on target. If you want, i have documents and court transcripts that MO SANGINITI claimed AL Pirro was being paid off and that local Judges, including Nickolai, were under his pay. I also beleieve Sanginiti claimed he would pay off the Spano’s and Jereis by buying tickets and donations to their events. Ohhh, and beofre we forget, he said that he had connections into the DA office from his sister’s inlaws-KHOURY. Lastly, he had MANGONE as a lawyer.hahah. I think you shoud print these documemts on the front page of your newspaper. As a matter of fact, don’t forget to mention that Jeaninie used this lowlife witness, Sanginiti, to put innocent people in jail just to carry out her sick agenda at the time. They just forgot that rats, especially ones with no moral integrity, will never be trustworthy. So if it is good for the Goose….. let the lowlifes finish the phrase.
what does mo sanginiti have to do with this case…zorro is living in the past..dennis robertson testified that pirro was “boasting” but
even if Pirro was making a serious suggestion there is nothing to show that Pirro had anything at all to do with giving anything
to annabi…pirro isn’t even going to be called as a witness..and is is not a target and not a subject..but that doesn’t appear to
be enough for those who harbour a grudge going back decades…against both pirros…but al is not involved in this and in fact
as you will find out this week…the only question that needs to be answered is why the developer was not charged in the case…
he is the one who benefited…whether or not the vote was bought by jeries, some third party or the man in the moon…
It seems as though Hezi is controlling his comment input on his website. I have posted several comments regarding Nick and Annabi and nothing gets posted. I am convinced now that he is buffering the Spano’s. How could Hezi believe that Annabi could live on her income and support and pay for three homes, a BENZ and expensive jewelry. The Feds are making an excellent case. I think Hezi is having a melt down.
this is not about nick and annabi..its about jeries and annabi…nick is not a target not a witness and not involved
The heavy hitters will be called at the end. Nick has already been convicted for tax fraud and he is still up for charges from the opened indictment
he is not on the witness list and cannot be called by either side according to federal rules….
Disgraced lawyer Anthony Mangone admitted Thursday that he lied under oath a decade ago to conceal former state Sen. Nicholas Spano’s involvement in a vote-rigging scheme.
Mangone took the stand in federal court in Manhattan as a key prosecution witness in the corruption trial of former Yonkers Councilwoman Sandy Annabi and her political mentor Zehy Jereis, testifying he passed along a $20,000 bribe to Jereis in 2006 for Annabi to vote in favor of a client’s development project.
I covered the sham trial of Dennis Wedra in 2002, brought on by Jeanine Pirro essentially because he did not support Larry Schwartz/Andy Spano’s fixing of the DA’s race to re-elect Pirro. Pirro gave mangone immunity knowing that Wedra’s attorney Geoffrey Orlando would get an admission of guilt from Mangone that he was responsible for the166 bogus Green Party ballots naming Nick Spano in the primary.
Two years later in the longest post election dispute in NYS history Pirro was up to her eyeballs in the fraud perpetrated by Mangone, LaFayette, Spolzino, Warshawsky, etc in defrauding Stewart-Cousins. She was in Albany working with Joe Bruno to get a judge to stop the recount for one more day!
Since Mangone confimed today that his law partners, Servino & Santangelo, are also crooked, yet one of them is on team DiFiore. So, what now Janet?
Janet is every bit as corrupt as Servino. She was not elected in 2005. Nick Spano’s henchmen were allowed inside the storage facility on Saw Mill River Road in Yonkers, and played with the machines that her former squeeze Judge Nicolai agreed to impound three days before the election was run.
She felt compelled to do that because her husband could not succeed in getting the Right-To-Life candidate Anthony DiCintio to drop out and take a promise of a “free hand” in the office. At the time the New York Times covered the story. And, let’s not forget that ass-kissing thank you Janet gave the “Spano Family,” when she declared victory.
And, here’s the worst part. When DeCintio went to the FBI in White Plains they all but threw him out of the office. So what chance have we that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will do anything about her and her corrupt office? Despite the fact that DiFiore and Pirro despise each other Janet perpetuates Jeanine’s prosecutorial misconduct in case after case because she too is a psychopathic liar and must protect Patricia Murphy, Steven Bender, Perry Perrone, and that whole army of malicious, mindless bastards who can sleep nights knowing they have destroyed innocent individuals and their families.
Just think about George Bolen, who immediately retired when Jeffrey Deskovic came out of prison after 16 years having been wrongfully prosecuted and convicted by Bolen with the assistance of the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, Louis Roh. DiFiore should be prosecuting Roh and his boss right now, but she was running the office for 16 months before Roh also fled, and so she too is implicated!
If Roh and Hyland do not end up in prison for their criminal enterprise over a 27 year period it will be obvious that DiFiore and her politically powerful attorney husband are the reason why.
It’s amazing how the truth has a certain ring to it. It’s consistent and unchanging. And, when you are telling the truth you never have to be concerned about what you have said before. You don’t have to worry about whatever lie you might have made up before. Janet DiFiore, Jeanine Pirro, Andy Spano, Larry Schwartz, Nick Spano, Phil Amicone, Ken Jenkins, Jose Alvarado, Reggie LaFayette, Tim Idoni, Joe DelFino, have all committed crimes serious enough to go to prison, together with scores of other operatives. But, what are the chances they will be prosecuted by The Feds?
They will never be prosecuted by the feds, because many players from the SDNY have aided these actors. Too many case will be overturned, and too many undergo scrutiny. If anyone thinks that the collusion between the SDNY and the local DA has stopped completely since Jeanie left, you are badly mistaken. You could clean the cage, but it will stnk so long as another rodent enters.
I can’t disagree with you. We should all be expressing our outrage at the foot-dragging and very limited scope of the federal investigation. While these high-paid lawyers continue to enjoy theirs and their family’s comfortable lives on our tax dollars, scores, yes, scores of innocent individuals, the likes of Richard DiGuglielmo, and Paul Cote languish in state and federal prisons the result of prosecutorial misconduct and judicial collusion and corruption, and indifference to fundamental violations of Constitutional, and basic human rights.
As one who was an officer in Westchester County’s Criminal Courts more than 40 years ago, I can honestly say things have gotten progressively worse. The quality of the judiciary has gone virtually into the toilet. Things can’t get much worse if we are to sustain our democracy much longer. You would be amazed how much information was turned over to the United States Attorney’s Office, and the FBI. We need to press them to do their job!
Looks like time for a new page
Seriously, you can’t still be on this page. There is so much more to be exploring. Hope you are okay.
I bet the US Attorney can’t wait to get out of Westchester county politics, and this court fight, and steamroll through putnam county politics, where there’ll be no need for trials. In Putnam they’ll roll on each other faster than Carl Lewis doing the 100 meter relay, on steroids. In Westchester they fight, in Putnam? They’ll join their hero Leibell.
One of the best Carl Lewis impressions was the candidate for sheriff in Putnam County back in 2009. Loyalty was not in the cards after that conviction.