Long Island official gets new sentence in corruption case

Edward Mangano, the top-ranking elected official in Nassau County, took bribes from a restaurateur who operated a beach and a golf course in Oyster Bay.CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (CN) — Former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano was ordered Wednesday to serve 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of taking bribes from a local restaurateur while in office.The Second Circuit reversed in part Mangano’s corruption conviction last year, finding there wasn’t enough evidence to convict him for conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.Mangano, now 62, was initially sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay $10.6 million in restitution, plus a $200,000 fine and more than $500,000 in forfeitures.In 2019, the former county executive was convicted of taking bribes from restaurateur Harendra Singh to persuade the town of Oyster Bay to guarantee loans to improve concessions that Singh operated at a beach and a golf course.Prosecutors say the bribes included a “no-show” marketing job for Mangano’s wife, Linda, who received more than $450,000. Money from the scheme went toward five vacations, new hardwood flooring, a custom-made office chair, a massage chair and a watch.Linda Mangano was sentenced to 15 months in prison for obstructing a grand jury by lying to the FBI about her supposed job with Singh. The Second Circuit panel upheld her conviction and affirmed Edward Mangano’s conviction for honest services fraud and obstruction of justice.“The government presented no evidence at trial that Mangano had authority to act on behalf of the town, nor that he was an employee or representative of the town,” U.S. Circuit Judge Debra A. Livingston, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote in the panel’s decision.At trial in the Eastern District of New York, prosecutors argued that Oyster Bay Supervisor John Venditto convinced Edward Mangano to hire some of his associates for county government roles. The federal appellate judges determined there was no evidence to suggest the county’s top seat holder agreed to do so because of the bribes he accepted.“Nor was there proof at trial to suggest that Mangano accepted bribes from Singh intending to be influenced in Nassau County hiring practices,” Livingston wrote. “Rather, the indictment and the evidence at trial concerned Mangano’s accepting Singh’s bribes for Mangano’s own benefit in return for influencing town activity.”U.S. Circuit Judge Gerard E. Lynch, a Barack Obama appointee, and U.S. Circuit Judge Beth Robinson, a Joe Biden appointee, joined Livingston on the panel.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads