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De Blasio Ex-Donor Convicted of Bribery & Conspiracy in NYPD Corruption Trial

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A former fundraiser for Mayor Bill DeBlasio was found guilty by a Manhattan federal jury on Wednesday on conspiracy and bribery charges in the long running NYPD corruption trial.

Jeremy Reichberg, 44, of Brooklyn, faces up to 65 years in prison at his April 4 sentencing. Another DeBlasio donor, Jona Rechnitz and a former friend of Reichberg agreed to a deal with federal authorities and testified for nine days during the trial as the government’s star witness. In June of 2016, Rechnitz pled guilty in secret to the wire-fraud charges leveled against him. He then returned to his native Los Angeles. A sentencing date has not yet been determined.

Prosecutors said that Reichberg and Rechnitz bribed NYPD ex-Deputy Inspector James Grant and other officers in exchange for special favors as police escorts, intervention in private disputes and ease in obtaining gun permits, among other things.

In a stunning acquittal, Grant was exonerated of the charges against him as jurors said that they did not buy the story of an ex-hooker who said that she has relations with the married father of two on a private jet junket to Las Vegas, according to the NYP. Reichberg and Rechnitz were charged with organizing it as part of their bribes.

Gabi Grecko, the hooker in question, appeared as a witness in the trial on November 8th but her testimony was not able to convince jurors of Grant’s culpability.

According to the NYP, Grecko’s testimony was replete with repeated contradictions. The report indicated that during a cross-examination session Grecko suddenly asked for a cup of coffee as he kept yawning. She explained to the court that she needs to take anxiety medication.

The Post reported that text messages had been exchanged between them and Grecko on Wednesday and she said that she felt that the acquittal of Grant was tantamount to “justice not done.” She also said that the “trial slut-shamed me and labeled me.”

Grant was not only accused of taking the all expenses paid trip to Sin City from Reichberg and Rechnitz but was charged with taking other bribes from the two former DeBlasio donors. The government charged Grant with taking a Nintendo game system and an American Girl doll for his daughter, diamond earrings for his wife, hotel accommodations in Italy and $6,000 worth of replacement windows for his Staten Island house, according to the NY Post report.

Grant’s lawyer reportedly said prosecutors gave the former cop a rough treatment.

“I’m very happy that Jimmy gets this opportunity to try to rebuild his life,” said the lawyer, John Meringolo, according to Newsday.

Susan Necheles, the lawyer representing Reichberg said she would appeal her client’s conviction and expressed disappointment in the results that the jury put forth.

“Part of the problem was that so much irrelevant garbage came into evidence it made it difficult for the jury to see what is the issue here,” she said.

During the trial she had put forth the notion that all the gifts given to Grant were favors that one friend would do for the other, and she said that such exchanges did not qualify  as an illegal quid pro quo, according to the NYP report.

 

 

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