New York – A former town official in New York’s Nassau County was found not guilty on Thursday of taking bribes from a restaurateur, as jurors continued to weigh the fate of the county’s former top elected executive charged in the same case.
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Former Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto was acquitted following a trial in federal court in Central Islip, New York, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for federal prosecutors. Venditto’s lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
The jury said Wednesday afternoon that it had not yet reached a decision regarding former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano or his wife, Linda Mangano, who were on trial alongside Venditto. Their lawyers also could not immediately be reached.
Prosecutors charged Mangano and Venditto with accepting bribes and kickbacks from Oyster Bay restaurateur Harendra Singh in exchange for favorable treatment, including government contracts and loans. They said the bribes included a no-show job for Linda Mangano.
Singh was charged separately in 2015, pleaded guilty and testified at the trial. He was a major fundraiser for New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, who was also investigated for possible corruption by state and federal authorities but ultimately not charged.