Reblog: I don’t know how I missed this article. I’m grateful for the heads up from a political insider friend.
Indicted state Sen. John Sampson has been thrown under the bus to the feds by a former top aide who is also in big trouble with the law, new court papers reveal.
Melvin Lowe admitted during confidential meetings with prosecutors that he defrauded the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee out of $100,000 – and gave $75,000 of the money to “Senator #1,” the filing says. A source said “Senator #1” is Lowe’s ex-boss, Sampson (D-Brooklyn), who is fighting charges that he, himself, also committed fraud and tax crimes.
Assistant US Attorneys James McMahon and Perry Carbone have asked a judge to allow testimony from the May and June “proffer sessions” to be made admissible at Lowe’s trial, especially if Lowe tries to take the stand and contradict what he previously confessed to them.
Prosecutors also said they have a witness who’ll testify hearing Lowe and Sampson discuss the cash exchange.
Prosecutors wrote White Plains federal Judge Vincent Briccetti this week saying Lowe, 53, also confided to them that he under-reported his income on his 2007 to 2009 tax returns and never filed returns for 2010 to 2012 while earning $923,000.
Lowe was indicted in December on tax violations and for allegedly scamming the cash out of the DSCC in 2010.
“His admission during his proffer sessions regarding the tax returns should be admitted to rebut arguments made by the defense at trial and to impeach the defendant’s testimony if he testifies,” the prosecutors said.
Lowe is set to go to trial Sept. 2 and faces up to 80 years in jail if convicted.
Michael Benjamin is a columnist and blogger as well as a former state legislator who represented the 79 AD, 2003-2010.
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