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The Politics of Corruption: Edward Ambrosino

Hempstead Town Councilman Edward Ambrosino

Edward Ambrosino

Charges: Wire fraud; tax evasion; making and subscribing false corporate tax returns; failure to file return

Edward Ambrosino, a Hempstead Town Board councilman, was indicted in April 2017 and accused of failing to pay more than $250,000 in federal taxes on income, much of which federal prosecutors said came from jobs performed for Nassau County. Prosecutors said Ambrosino, a lawyer, siphoned off money for two years to a company he incorporated and underreported his earnings. In the week following Ambrosino’s arrest, the county Industrial Development Agency and Local Economic Assistance Corp. dropped him as one of their attorneys. He initially pleaded not guilty, but in April 2019 he pleaded guilty to a single count of tax evasion on his personal federal income tax as part of a plea deal. He also submitted his resignation from his post as councilman, effective April 5. He was sentenced to six months in federal prison on Nov. 15. He began serving his sentence Sept. 15, 2020.

The latest on the Ambrosino case

Sept. 18, 2020: Former Hempstead Councilman Edward Ambrosino starts prison sentence June 10, 2020: Ex-town councilman’s prison sentence delayed by coronavirus April 9, 2020: Judge denies Ambrosino’s request for home confinement Nov. 15, 2019: Former Hempstead Town councilman sentenced for tax evasion Oct. 11, 2019: Sentencing of former Hempstead councilman delayed April 3, 2019: Town of Hempstead Councilman Edward Ambrosino pleads guilty to tax evasion July 26, 2018: Judge sets tentative date for Edward Ambrosino’s tax-evasion trial March 22, 2018: Power on Trial: Singh, in testimony, drops a lot of names Nov. 2, 2017: Pre-trial deadlines set in Edward Ambrosino tax-evasion case Oct. 17, 2017: Supervisor to return campaign donation from indicted councilman Sept. 8, 2017: Indicted town councilman has court appearance Sept. 5, 2017: Hempstead town board passes ethics reform July 22, 2017: Brown: Nassau has reform fever in election year July 21, 2017: Town ethics reform plan has $125,000 cap on outside income July 14, 2017: Edward Ambrosino ‘seeking to resolve’ tax evasion case, lawyer says May 22, 2017: Hempstead Town Democrats announce a slate, and go after the GOP May 10, 2017: Edward Ambrosino tax case documents handed over, officials say April 8, 2017: Brown: A wild week for Nassau Republicans April 5, 2017: Brown: Nepotism abounds in local government April 4, 2017: Nassau IDA dumps attorney Edward Ambrosino after tax arrest April 4, 2017: Hempstead supervisor calls on indicted councilman to resign April 3, 2017: Nassau GOP legislative leaders call on Edward Mangano to resign April 1, 2017: Several investigations of Long Island public officials underway March 3, 2017: Feds: Hempstead Town Board member arrested on tax evasion charges
Other LI officials charged with abuse of power