Manganos' corruption sentencings delayed, court papers say

A federal judge has delayed next month’s sentencing of former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and his wife, Linda, for their convictions on corruption-related charges at the request of federal prosecutors, according to court papers.

The Manganos’ recent motions to overturn the entire conviction to get a new trial or throw out most of the charges against Edward Mangano raised “complicated legal issues,” the prosecutors wrote. “This request is unfortunately unavoidable.”

The Manganos had been scheduled to be sentenced on March 19. But U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack, who is presiding over the case, ruled Thursday to postpone the sentencing to allow prosecutors to respond to defense motions asking for the new trial or to throw out charges based on new evidence and an appeals court ruling.

Edward Mangano’s attorney, Kevin Keating, and Linda Mangano’s attorney, John Carman, had no objection to the delay, according to court papers. 

Keating cited what he said was contradictory testimony in another trial by former restaurateur Harendra Singh, the star prosecution witness against Mangano, as well as recent court rulings dismissing some corruption counts against former State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

The prosecutors in their legal brief request for a delay were apparently referring to the Silver case cited by the Mangano lawyers.

The defense attorneys argued recently in their motions that the Second Circuit Appeals Court ruling in the Silver case directly parallels many of the charges upon which Edward Mangano was convicted, involving when the statute of limitations expires on a corrupt act by a politician.

In addition to the Silver ruling, the defense attorneys also argued that as a witness in the Manganos’ case, Harendra Singh had committed perjury by contradicting his key testimony in the county executive’s trial at a deposition in a recent unrelated civil suit.

The defense attorneys asserted that, in the civil suit, Singh had said Edward Mangano had nothing to do with getting the Town of Oyster Bay to grant him $20 million in indirect loan guarantees. That was the main action that the former county executive was convicted of at the criminal trial.

Azrack ruled — in proposing the timing of a round of new arguments — that federal prosecutors would have a chance to reply to the motions by the defense attorneys and, in turn, the defense attorneys could respond to the government.

The judge set the date for final defense arguments for April 21. Azrack ruled Thursday she would not set a new sentencing date until defense attorneys and prosecutors have a chance to argue on all the motions.

Defense attorneys could not be reached for comment Friday. John Marzulli, a spokesman for Eastern District prosecutors, declined to comment.

A jury last March found Edward Mangano guilty of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud and conspiracy to commit obstruction of justice.

Linda Mangano was convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice, obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to the FBI.

Prosecutors said Singh bribed Edward Mangano with a number of items, including a $450,000 no-show job for Linda Mangano, to help the restaurateur get the $20 million in loan guarantees, as well as contracts to supply bread and rolls to the county jail and food to emergency workers during superstorm Sandy.

By Robert E. Kessler

Robert.Kessler@newsday.com

Bob Kessler covers federal law, including law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, DEA, IRS and ATF, as well as the federal courts.