Witness: I paid to play

A key witness in a New Cassel redevelopment corruption trial testified Thursday that he made payments to two former Nassau County lawmakers and funneled other checks to a former town official as part of a pay-to-play scheme.

The two former legislators and a pair of former North Hempstead officials are being tried in Nassau County Court on charges of fraud, official misconduct and taking the proceeds of a public project.

Developer Ranjan Batheja, who was arrested on theft and bribery charges in 2009 in connection with the case, is cooperating with prosecutors.

Between 2005 and 2008, Batheja said, he gave a series of blank checks and checks he made payable to "cash" from his corporate accounts to then-Legis. Roger Corbin, of Westbury. Batheja said Corbin was helping him obtain a Nassau County grant, which helped fund the project.

Prosecutors allege that over the three-year period, Corbin collected payments totaling more than $200,000 in exchange for his political influence.

Batheja also testified that he delivered two checks totaling $180,000 to a company associated with former Legis. Patrick Williams of Uniondale. Batheja said he made a note on the checks that the payments were for "marketing fees."

According to prosecutors, Williams falsely claimed to have exclusive rights to negotiate for a bank that would become part of the New Cassel development that he sold to Batheja.

Batheja also testified that Neville Mullings, the former director of the town's Community Development Agency, "started asking me for cash" in mid-2005. Batheja said Mullings made several suggestions for how he could give the money, such as passing "money through" Mullings' son, Gordon Mullings, a real estate agent.

In December 2005, Batheja said, Gordon Mullings came to his office in Rosedale, Queens. "I handed him the check," Batheja testified of the younger Mullings.

Assistant Nassau County District Attorney Teresa Corrigan asked Batheja to tell the jury what notes he made on the checks. For instance, on one check for the amount of $3,000, Batheja wrote that it was for marketing one of his office buildings. Corrigan asked what Mullings had done to actually earn the payment. "Nothing," Batheja said.

Prosecutors allege that Neville Mullings collected a total of $20,000 in this manner.

Batheja, who testified all day Tuesday and Thursday, is expected to return to the stand when court resumes Monday.

On trial along with the three other men is David Wasserman, of Roslyn Heights, the town's former building and planning commissioner. Wasserman, who was also chairman of the Community Development Agency, is accused of taking part in bid-rigging to maintain his power at the agency.

The four were indicted in July 2010 after a three-year investigation by Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice.