Ex-State Senator Dean Skelos
Charges: Conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right; conspiracy to commit honest services fraud; extortion under color of official right; solicitation of bribes and gratuities
Dean Skelos, former Republican State Senate majority leader, was first convicted in December 2015 of using his power to help his son, Adam, get jobs and payments from businesses. Federal prosecutors said the senator pressured three companies to give jobs, fees and benefits worth $300,000 to Adam, doing favors in Albany for the companies in return. He also intervened with Nassau County to help one of them on a contract, prosecutors said. His son was indicted on the same charges. In May 2016, Skelos was sentenced to 5 years, and his son was sentenced to 6½. In September 2017, an appeals court overturned the convictions. They were retried in the summer of 2018, and a federal jury convicted them on eight counts of conspiracy, extortion and bribery. In October 2018, a judge sentenced Dean Skelos to four years, three months in prison, while Adam was sentenced to four years. Dean Skelos reported to prison on Jan. 8, 2019, rather than seeking bail pending his appeal. He was released to home confinement on April 28 after testing positive for the coronavirus.
The latest on the Skelos case
April 29, 2020: Dean Skelos released from prison, officials say April 28, 2020: Court filing: Dean Skelos to be released to home confinement April 21, 2020: Prosecutors’ letter: Dean Skelos ineligible for home confinement April 16, 2020: Ex-Sen. Skelos to serve rest of sentence in home confinement April 1, 2020: Skelos seeks release from federal prison, citing coronavirus fears Jan. 8, 2019: Officials: Dean and Adam Skelos report to prison Nov. 20, 2018: Lawyer: Dean Skelos won’t seek bail during appeal Oct. 24, 2018: Dean Skelos, son Adam sentenced to multiple years in prison Oct. 23, 2018: Dean Skelos’ attorney urges judge not to impose harsher sentence Oct. 23, 2018: Letter: No leniency for ex-Sen. Dean Skelos Oct. 19, 2018: Dean Skelos should get more than five years in prison, prosecutors tell judge Oct. 12, 2018: Dean Skelos should get ‘shortest possible’ sentence for corruption charges, lawyer says July 23, 2018: Letters: Corruption cases and the need for change July 18, 2018: Editorial: Corruption trials demand reforms July 17, 2018: Dean Skelos, son convicted of corruption in retrial July 17, 2018: Brown: Jury didn’t buy Skelos’ doting father portrayal July 16, 2018: Juror in Skelos trial asks to be relieved to go on vacation July 13, 2018: Skelos jury goes home for the weekend after hours of deliberations July 12, 2018: Prosecutor says Skelos couldn’t help son buy a house July 11, 2018: Skelos defense attorney: Prosecution witnesses lied July 10, 2018: Prosecutor calls Dean Skelos’ testimony ‘not credible’ July 9, 2018: Skelos: Son’s job was not in exchange for influence July 6, 2018: Dean Skelos testifies he asked people to help his son July 5, 2018: Dean Skelos didn’t want son lobbying state government, witness testifies July 3, 2018: Alfonse D’Amato testifies he warned Dean Skelos his son might lose his job July 2, 2018: Former CEO: Firing Adam Skelos not an option due to senior Skelos’ influence June 29, 2018: Records: Adam Skelos earned more than $145,000 but dad said he was struggling June 28, 2018: Witness: Adam Skelos told me to send coded text during corruption probe June 28, 2018: Dean Skelos held company ‘hostage’ when asking for son’s raise, witness says June 26, 2018: Witness in Skelos case: I was told to pay Adam Skelos $20,000 June 26, 2018: Star witness: No explicit quid pro quo with Dean Skelos June 22, 2018: Dean Skelos asked company for work for his son, executive testifies June 21, 2018: Wiretaps in court show Dean Skelos’ power, influence in Albany June 20, 2018: Corruption trial opens, witness say Adam Skelos threatened him June 19, 2018: Jury selected for Skelos corruption retrial June 17, 2018: Second trial of Dean Skelos and his son to begin this week June 11, 2018: Judge rejects change of venue for Skelos retrial June 7, 2018: With trials looming, groups want oversight of NY contracts May 22, 2018: Skelos lawyer: Key prosecution witness should be probed May 17, 2018: Judge rules on Dean Skelos bid to challenge witnesses April 3, 2018: Skelos retrial prosecutors: No Walker testimony needed March 16, 2018: Editorial: Don’t confuse political corruption with friendship March 6, 2018: Editorial: Another way to end culture of corruption in Nassau County March 2, 2018: Skelos, son want retrial moved out of state Jan. 29, 2018: Judge orders Adam Skelos to mental health treatment Jan. 1, 2018: State readies for 5 corruption trials in 2018 Nov. 1, 2017: Vacating of Skelos conviction prompts finger-pointing Oct. 31, 2017: Retrial date set for Skelos corruption charges Sept. 27, 2017: Will Skelos’ overturned conviction affect Mangano, Venditto? Sept. 26, 2017: Editorial: After Skelos and Silver rulings, keep up quest for Albany honesty Sept. 26, 2017: Appeals court overturns Dean Skelos conviction Aug. 7, 2017: Dean Skelos lawyers cite Silver reversal in appeal July 7, 2017: Anthony Bonomo, Skelos trial witness, ousted from company May 8, 2017: Ex-Republican leader Dean Skelos deserves new trial, lawyer says May 18, 2017: Charles Lavine: Don’t use campaign funds for criminal defense March 25, 2017: Brown: Nassau Republicans need to act on contract reforms March 25, 2017: Brown: Nassau Republicans need to act on contract reforms March 23, 2017: Contractors bypass Nassau disclosure law Dec. 28, 2016: Skelos, Silver postscript: LI firms face lobbying fines Oct. 27, 2016: Judge questions insurer’s refusal to pay in Adam Skelos case Aug. 4, 2016: Skelos, son to stay out of prison pending appeal July 28, 2016: Dean Skelos formally disbarred after corruption conviction July 15, 2016: Skelos, Silver have hefty campaign cash to pay legal bills June 16, 2016: State corruption deal would take away convicted pols’ pensions June 7, 2016: Editorial: Albany should cast a wide net in pension-stripping bill May 12, 2016: Skelos sentenced to 5 years in corruption; son gets 6 1/2 April 27, 2016: Dean Skelos: $500,000 fine in corruption case ‘unwarranted’ April 15, 2016: Dean Skelos judge questions legality of increasing fine; rejects bid for new trial April 4, 2016: Dean Skelos, son Adam should face stiff sentences April 4: 2016: Letter: Dean Skelos’ plea was pathetic March 27, 2016: Pols among writers of 184 letters on Dean Skelos’ behalf March 23, 2016: Adam Skelos asks for ‘mercy’ in sentencing memo March 14, 2016: Dean Skelos’ sentencing postponed until April by judge Feb. 25, 2016: Letter: Pensions for convicts is beyond troubling Feb. 17, 2016: Dean Skelos, convicted of corruption, gets $95G state pension Feb. 4, 2016: Dean Skelos, son get postponement in sentencing on corruption conviction Jan. 26, 2016: Dean Skelos, son Adam, seek new trial, or acquittal of federal corruption charges Jan. 15, 2016: Dean Skelos spent $762G on legal defense, records show Dec. 30, 2015: Dean Skelos’ seat sparks political battling Dec. 29, 2015: Ex. Sen-Dean Skelos files for pension 11 days after conviction, officials say Dec. 21, 2015: Dean Skelos park in Rockville Centre subject of name-change effort May 31, 2015: Most Nassau contracts like the one in Skelos probe don’t go to lowest bidder, records show