Former Queens pol charged with bribe-taking

A former Queens assemblyman was charged with bribe-taking Tuesday after allegedly taking a delivery of a fruit basket filled with cash that he had promised to use to pay off prosecutors in a criminal case.

Jimmy Meng, 68, the father of Democratic House nominee Grace Meng, solicited $80,000 from a defendant in a state tax case brought by the Manhattan district attorney, who disclosed the plan to federal authorities and recorded Meng.

Federal officials arrested Meng Tuesday at his lumber yard in Queens after he accepted the fruit basket, and said that he made up the claim that assistant district attorneys could be bribed to get money for himself.

"Jimmy Meng sought to be a power broker in the halls of justice," said Loretta Lynch, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn. "But the influence he sought to peddle was corrupt and his power was illusory. This arrest confirms that justice is not for sale."

"The defendant made an absurd and unfounded claim, and we thank our federal partners for their aggressive investigation into this case," said a representative for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

Meng, who served one term in the Assembly in 2005 and 2006, was charged with wire fraud and released on $1 million bail after a brief appearance in federal court in Brooklyn. He did not enter a plea, but said leaving court, "I didn't do anything."

Assemb. Grace Meng (D-Flushing), who is running for retiring Rep. Gary Ackerman's seat in the 6th Congressional District, said she was "shocked and deeply saddened."

"I am independent of my father -- always have been, always will be," she said. "Until more facts emerge and we have a better understanding of the situation, the only thing further I'll say is that I urge my father to fully cooperate with all authorities."

The informant, who was not named, was indicted in 2011, and approached Jimmy Meng -- who is not a lawyer -- for advice, according to the charges. Meng allegedly told him that there were several prosecutors on the case, and that he could get as little as a year in jail, less than the plea offer, if he paid them $20,000 each.

By December, the man was cooperating with the FBI. In a taped conversation translated from Mandarin Chinese, Meng promised to refund most of the money if he couldn't get the man the agreed upon sentence, officials said.

"Then just charge you $2,000 -- $2,000 for running errands and the rest -- I take responsibility -- will be returned to you completely," he allegedly said.

Meng also allegedly told the man to keep his role quiet, instructing him, "You can never say in the future that Jimmy Meng helped me find people."