Assemblyman William Scarborough is expected to plead guilty in a felony corruption case and step down from office after serving southeast Queens for two decades, according to published reports.
Scarborough was arrested in October for allegedly stealing campaign funds and collecting travel reimbursement checks through the voucher system, which legislators receive when they are in the state capital, even when he was not in Albany.
Following his arrest, Scarborough pleaded not guilty to an 11-count federal indictment, where he was accused of improperly claiming “per diem” expenses in excess of $40,000 for travel that didn’t take place.
The Queens pol is scheduled to plead guilty on May 7 to two felony federal corruption charges as part of a tentative deal, the Daily News reported. They will include one count of improperly receiving money from a program that receives federal funds, and one count of wire fraud.
His attorney filed a change-of-plea notice late Monday, according to the Albany Times Union, and at the same time, a notice was filed to give up the fight to have cellphone tower data thrown out as evidence in the case, arguing that it was illegally obtained. The data was reportedly used to pinpoint his whereabouts when he claimed to be in Albany.
Along with the guilty plea, Scarborough is expected to vacate the 29th Assembly District seat that he first assumed in 1995.
Scarborough is also facing a 23-count state indictment charging him with withdrawing and diverting over $40,000 from his campaign account to use for personal expenses.
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