Report: Another Andrew Cuomo agency subpoenaed in federal probe

ALBANY — Another Cuomo administration agency reportedly has been subpoenaed by federal investigators in a continuing probe of upstate development projects.

The state Division of Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) recently denied an information request by the Albany Times Union regarding employee time sheets, citing a subpoena it received from U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has served HCR with subpoenas seeking information that overlaps with the” information request, the newspaper said the housing agency attorney wrote in a letter. The agency didn’t immediately return a call to comment Monday.

Newsday and other media outlets have reported that Bharara’s office is seeking records from the Cuomo administration and about 20 companies regarding economic-development projects, including three firms involved in real estate development — COR of Syracuse, Conifer Realty of Rochester and Norstar Development of Buffalo.

COR is headed by Steven Aiello, a major campaign contributor to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo; his son, Steven L. Aiello, has worked for the housing agency, Cuomo’s 2014 election campaign and Cuomo’s policy office, leaving the administration in June to join COR, according to his LinkedIn profile and SeeThroughNY.net, a website that tracks state spending.

Besides private companies, investigators have sought communications from high-ranking Cuomo officials as well as agencies that regulate solar power and implement solar initiatives, SUNY Polytechnic Institute (which has been the guiding force in a number of state-backed high-tech ventures), and Empire State Development Corp., the state’s economic development arm.