NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Federal investigators and the FBI are reportedly looking into New York Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin's failed bid for comptroller of New York City last year.
Investigators are trying to figure out whether the Democrat or anyone in his campaign was involved in an apparent scheme to funnel fraudulent contributions into his doomed 2021 bid for comptroller.
Multiple sources told The New York Times that prosecutors in the Southern District of New York have issued grand jury subpoenas for documents from Benjamin's campaign committee, paid staffers and consulting firms.
Prosecutors reportedly began to seek records from the state Senate, where the 45-year-old previously served until Gov. Kathy Hochul picked him to be her lieutenant governor.
The probe reportedly follows last year's indictment of Harlem real estate developer Gerald Migdol for wire fraud and other crimes in connection to the contributions.
Prosecutors said he arranged phony contributions to Benjamin's comptroller campaign so the candidate could secure matching funds from the city.
It's unclear at this time if Migdol is cooperating with prosecutors looking into Benjamin. If convicted, Migdol faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft.
Meanwhile, no wrongdoing has been alleged against Benjamin. His office referred to a prior statement released when Migdol was arrested.
"Neither Lt. Gov. Benjamin nor his campaign are being accused of any wrongdoing, and they are prepared to fully cooperate with authorities," his office told The Times in a statement.
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