New York Lt. Gov. Benjamin arrested in campaign donation scheme
File: Sen. Brian A. Benjamin, D-New York questions New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio during a joint legislative budget hearing on local government Monday, Feb. 11, 2019, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)
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ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) — New York State Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin has been taken into custody on campaign finance charges.
According to ABC News, a press conference at noon will unseal an indictment charging Benjamin with bribery and related offenses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Benjamin was arrested Tuesday on charges of bribery, honest services wire fraud and falsification of records.
ABC News linked the charges to a scheme to obtain campaign money in exchange for a state grant. The Associated Press refers to U.S. prosecutors who said it’s a federal corruption investigation.
According to the New York Times, Benjamin will be appearing in Manhattan federal court. He reportedly surrendered to authorities to face the charges in connection with a past campaign.
Benjamin, formerly a state senator from Harlem, had joined the administration of Gov. Kathy Hochul in September, chosen by her to fill her former job a couple of weeks after she stepped into the governorship.
Benjamin was the state’s second Black lieutenant governor. During his state Legislature career, the Democrat emphasized criminal justice reform and affordable housing.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.