Former TOB Supervisor Venditto cleared of all corruption charges

Jury ‘deadlocked’ on verdict for Ed, Linda Mangano

By Laura Lane and Erik Hawkins

Former Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto was found not guilty of all corruption-related charges against him on Thursday, according to numerous published reports, after a jury deliberated for five days.

The jury remained deadlocked, according to court officials, on the charges against former Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and his wife, Linda.“I think the jury has spoken, and they came out with the proper verdict,” said Mike Rich, 69, a lifelong Oyster Bay resident. “We try cases in court, not public opinion. I think coverage by [some media] was slanted, especially when they repeated the charges every day. I’m very proud of my town.”

Mangano and Venditto were both facing multiple charges of bribery and corruption, and restaurateur Harendra Singh, who has pleaded guilty to bribing the former officials in exchange for help for his struggling businesses, was the government’s key witness.

John Venditto Verdict and Closing statements by Aggie Whelan Kenny

Marc Agnifilo closing statements: Atty Marc Agnifilo addressing jury,  Back of Atty Michael Keating, John Venditto, Linda Mangano, Edward Mangano

John Venditto’s defense

Marc Agnifilo, Venditto’s attorney, attacked Singh’s character. “Harendra Singh is selfish, remarkably self-important, and has grand plans … .” he said. “He’s not happy with where he is. He needs more. He needs to be more — to be somewhere else.”

He portrayed Venditto as “self-contained and happy” — already having all he could want or need. He said even Singh complimented Venditto at one point, calling him “a humble man.”

Agnifilo went on to say, “Singh uses love and closeness to get what he wants, and then he tells us it’s all a lie.”

Agnifilo said Venditto saw Singh as good for Oyster Bay back in 2010. The restaurateur had been a town concessionaire for 10 years, and had made capital improvements to the town buildings that he leased with his own money.

Agnifilo said Venditto didn’t know that Singh was in a corrupt relationship with former deputy town attorney Frederick Mei, who also testified last month in the trial as per a cooperation agreement. Agnifilo said Mei admitted under oath that he forged a document to make it look as though Venditto had signed a loan agreement on Singh’s behalf. Mei also admitted to forging a lease to get an earlier loan for Singh from Habib Bank, without Venditto’s knowledge.

Agnifilo likened Mei and Singh to Bonny and Clyde. “They found each other to commit crimes,” he said.

John Venditto not guilty verdict:  Jury foreman reading not guilty verdicts, court deputy right, Judge Joan Azrack, foreground l-r US attorneys, Lara Treinis Gatz, RaymondTierney,Middle ground l-r, Atty Marc Agnifilo, John Venditto, Edward Mangano, Linda Mangano

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REUTERS Four found guilty in insider trading case linked to U.S. health agency

Four found guilty in insider trading case linked to U.S. health agency

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-crime-healthcare/four-found-guilty-in-insider-trading-case-linked-to-u-s-health-agency-idUSKBN1I42P4

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Two partners at the hedge fund Deerfield Management and two others were found guilty on Thursday of charges stemming from what prosecutors have described as an insider trading scheme based on leaks from within a federal healthcare agency.

Assistant US Attorney Joshua Naftalis presents case to jury

Rob Olan and Ted Huber, partners at Deerfield Management who are on leave, were convicted of counts including wire fraud, securities fraud and conversion of government property, as was David Blaszczak, founder of political consulting firm Precipio Health Strategies.

Christopher Worrall, who worked for the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), was also convicted of wire fraud and conversion of government property, but acquitted of securities fraud. The verdict was handed down by a jury in Manhattan federal court after nearly four days of deliberations, following a four-week trial.

Ted Huber defense attorney,  Barry Berke presents defense case to jury.
Lawyers for Huber and Worrall had no immediate comment. Lawyers for Olan and Blaszczak could not immediately be reached. A Deerfield spokesman declined to comment.





This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brooke Cucinella, Ian McGinley, and Joshua A. Naftalis are in charge of the prosecution.