Chief of New York Jail Officers’ Union Is Arrested on Fraud Charges

The New York Times reports:

The powerful leader of the union that represents New York City correction officers, whose alliances with mayors and governors have afforded him broad influence, was arrested on federal fraud charges on Wednesday, according to court papers.

The charges against the union leader, Norman Seabrook, and a second defendant, Murray Huberfeld, a hedge-fund financier, stem from the first major criminal case linked to one of several corruption investigations focused on the campaign fund-raising of Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat.

The criminal complaint charging the two men strongly suggests that a witness who is cooperating with the government in the case, Jona S. Rechnitz, could also serve as an important witness in at least one of the fund-raising inquiries centered on the mayor.

Mr. Rechnitz, a central target in one of the fund-raising investigations, has pleaded guilty to fraud conspiracy charges in connection with the case and is “providing information to the government in the hopes of obtaining leniency when he is sentenced,” according to the complaint.

Stay tuned.