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http://libertysflame.com/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=26669

Kruger & beau admit $450,000 Albany bribery scheme

Disgraced pol Carl Kruger wiped away tears yesterday as he 
pleaded guilty to taking nearly half a million dollars in bribes 
with the aid of his gay lover � in a deal that calls for at 
least nine years in the slammer.

The veteran Brooklyn Democrat quit the state Senate shortly 
before striking his plea bargain in Manhattan federal court, 
where he struggled to contain his emotions before finally losing 
it.

�I apologize if I�m a little emotional over this,� Kruger, 62, 
told the judge as he choked up.

Also pleading guilty was Kruger�s boyfriend, gynecologist 
Michael Turano, who faces up to five years for depositing the 
nearly $500,000 in payoffs into his own business accounts.

�I understood that part of this money was paid because Carl 
Kruger, acting in his official capacity as a member of the New 
York state Senate, sought to benefit those individuals or 
entities making such payments,� Turano said through tears.

Turano, 50, then fell apart even worse than Kruger, bowing his 
head and weeping, his sobs amplified through the courtroom by a 
nearby microphone.

The dramatic display left Kruger looking pained as he covered 
his eyes with one hand.

Kruger � who infuriated gays and lesbians by opposing same-sex 
marriage before reversing himself this year � has refused to 
acknowledge his relationship with Turano, despite wiretaps in 
which they were caught engaging in �baby talk� and discussing 
how Kruger fell in love with Turano at first sight.

Kruger and Turano were among eight people busted earlier this 
year in what the feds called a �broad-based bribery racket 
reflecting an unholy alliance of politicians, lobbyists and 
businessmen.�

Kruger was charged with peddling his influence for more than 
five years, including as chairman of the powerful Senate Finance 
Committee.

�With Sen. Kruger�s guilty plea today, yet another lawmaker-
turned-lawbreaker has now been removed from an undeserved 
position of power in Albany,� Manhattan US Attorney Preet 
Bharara said.

�Instead of serving the people who elected him, Sen. Kruger 
monetized his public office and served himself.�

According to court papers, Kruger got more than $1 million in 
bribes through a �pay-to-play� scheme involving representatives 
of the real-estate, hospital, supermarket and beverage 
industries.

In exchange for payments to shell companies set up by Turano, 
Kruger sponsored legislation, attempted to allocate millions in 
pork-barrel funds and even wrote a letter to a federal judge in 
Buffalo.

The dirty money helped fund a lavish lifestyle that included a 
Bentley sedan and a garish Mill Basin mansion where Kruger and 
Turano live with Turano�s brother and his mother, Brooklyn 
Community Board 18 District Manager Dorothy Turano.

Under sentencing guidelines, the seriousness of Turano�s crimes 
would ordinarily call for up to 71/4 years in prison, but his 
plea bargain to a single count of conspiracy to commit bribery 
limits him to five years. He also agreed to pay a fine of up to 
$125,000 and up to $450,000 in forfeitures.

In court yesterday, Kruger pleaded guilty to two counts of 
conspiracy to commit �honest services� fraud and two counts of 
bribery conspiracy.

Repeatedly dabbing his eyes with a tissue, he admitted using his 
�official position� on behalf of co-defendants including 
lobbyist Richard Lipsky, health-care consultant Solomon Kalish 
and former hospital exec Dr. Robert Aquino, against whom charges 
remain pending.

�My actions were in violation of the law, and I knew that they 
were wrong,� he said. �I accept responsibility for my actions 
and am truly sorry for my conduct.�

His plea deal recommends a prison term of between 9 and 111/4 
years and a fine of up to $150,000, but Judge Jed Rakoff warned 
that he isn�t bound by those guidelines and said Kruger, could 
face up to 50 years at his April 26 sentencing.

Kruger also agreed to pay up to $450,000 in forfeitures.

Kruger will get to keep his state pension, because the New York 
Constitution prohibits cutting benefits to anyone who has paid 
into the retirement system.

Gov. Cuomo, at an Albany news conference, said: �I think it was 
unfortunate and we�ll have to move on, but we have to be 
cognizant that this is the people�s government, and there has to 
be 100 percent trust, and you�re not going to have the trust 
until you earn it.�

Outside court, defense lawyer Ben Brafman � who just last month 
predicted Kruger�s �complete exoneration� � said that �by 
accepting responsibility for his conduct, Sen. Kruger has 
confirmed his respect for the integrity of the judicial process.�

Brafman said he hoped that Rakoff would weigh Kruger�s crimes 
against the �many years of devotion to the thousands of 
constituents Mr. Kruger has honestly served during a lifetime of 
public and community service, which, although obviously flawed, 
is still nevertheless, on balance, quite extraordinary.�

Senate Minority Leader John Sampson (D-Brooklyn) said Kruger�s 
conviction �closes a sad chapter for the people of Mr. Kruger�s 
district and proves that no one is above the law.�

�Restoring faith, trust and confidence in government must be our 
first priority,� he added.



READ KRUGER'S ALLOCUTION:

http://www.nypost.com/r/nypost/2011/12/20/media/Carl_Kruger_allo
cution.pdf

READ KRUGER'S SENATE RESIGNATION LETTER: