State senator who voted against gay marriage has a 'gay lover' who helped 'funnel $1 million' in bribes

State senator who voted against gay marriage has a 'gay lover' who helped 'funnel $1 million' in bribes

 

A Democratic state senator who voted against gay marriage used his gay 'lover' to launder millions of dollars in bribes, police said today.

Carl Kruger, who voted against a gay marriage bill in New York last year, has been charged along with Assemblyman William Boyland and Anthony Seminerio - who is now dead - of accepting bribes to lobby state government for money and lucrative favours.

It is also alleged Mr Kruger's gynaecologist 'boy-friend' Michael Turano used shell-companies to help hide bribe money that funded Mr Kruger's lavish lifestyle which included a luxury Bentley car and a multi-million dollar waterfront mansion formerly owned by a mob boss.

Accused: State senator Carl Kruger (left) is accused of taking bribes to aid lobbyists and companies to get state money and favours. The man pictured is nothing to do with the case

 

US Attorney Preet Bharara said: 'Sen. Kruger had a close and intimate relationship with the entire Turano family, which includes one of the defendants, Michael Turano, along with his mother and brother.

'[Kruger] spent his free time with the Turanos, shared holidays with them, went shopping for them, and managed the affairs of their residence.

'Kruger was closest with Michael Turano. The two men were in nearly daily contact, Kruger picked Turano up from work, and people even called Kruger's cellphone in order to reach Turano.'

A report by FBI Special Agent Julie Brown said: 'Kruger acted like a member of the Turano family, and Kruger effectively functioned as a member of their household.

'Kruger went shopping for the Turano family, for example buying light bulbs for the Turano residence, travel-sized snacks for them when they traveled, and stockings for the Turano mother.'

According to the New York Post, a source close to Mr Kruger said he was 'intimate' with Michael Turano.

Gaudy: This is the house of Carl Kruger allegedly paid for with money obtained from bribes

Mr Turano's lawyer declined to comment when asked if Mr Kruger and his client were lovers.

According to federal investigators, Mr Kruger received much of the alleged bribe money from New York lobbyist Richard Lipsky .

In return, it is alleged Mr Kruger sponsored bills and lobbied officials to direct state money into projects that benefited Mr Lipsky's clients.

One of the companies was Forest City Ratner, who built a $4 billion Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn.

Last year Mr Kruger unsuccessfully campaigned to get the company $4 million dollars in state aid for other projects in the borough.

There is no suggestion Forest City Ratner knew of the alleged bribes.

According to the Post, When federal officers raided Mr Lipsky's Upper West Side apartment, they found: '$102,000 in cash from a safe in a closet and $4,000 in crisp, large denominational bills from the pocket of a suit belonging to Lipsky.'

FBI Assistant Director Janice Fedarcyk said the alleged: 'Bribery, money laundering, influence peddling and official misconduct [was] eye-opening even to seasoned investigators.'

According to the New York Times, Mr Kruger used the money to: 'Bankroll a lavish lifestyle, financing a four-door Bentley Arnage and a $2 million waterfront home originally built for a boss of the Luchese crime family.'