Former New York state Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelosand his son Adam Skelos were found guilty of extortion Friday following a high profile corruptiontrial, the Daily News reported. Prosecutorsdescribed the duo’s deedsas an extortion scheme that forced companies to pay Adam Skelos, 33, in exchange for his father’spolitical support.
The 67-year-old Dean Skelos, a Republican, and his son are charged with coercing three companies into paying Adam Skelos about $300,000. The elder Skelos was convicted of bribery, extortion and conspiracy charges for abusing his post, the Daily News reported. The younger Skelos was convicted of aiding and abetting. They face up to 130 years in prison. Before relinquishing their leadership posts following their arrests this year,Skelosand former Speaker Sheldon Silver,were two of the so-called “three men in a room,” along with the governor, who control major legislation in Albany. The three-week trial is ending just days after Silver, a Democrat, was convicted of bribery and extortion schemes that netted him millions of dollars.
The prosecutions of the state’s two legislative leaders mark the highest-profile cases in an ongoing probe into corruption in the state capital of Albany by federal prosecutors in Manhattan.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Former New York Senate leader Dean Skelos, his son guilty of extortion
