Former Assemblymember Anthony Seminerio passes away

Former Assemblymember Anthony Seminerio passed away on January 6.
The news was confirmed by a spokesperson for the Federal Medical Center at Butner Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina, where Seminerio was serving time.
Seminerio’s successor, Assemblymember Michael Miller said, “for over 30 years Anthony Seminerio represented the 38th Assembly District with passion and dedication. We should remember all of the good things that he has done for the community. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife and his children.”
Simcha Waisman, President of the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center said it was during Seminerio’s first run for office that he met Seminerio. Waisman had a print shop on Jamaica Avenue and “he [Seminerio] rented a store right next to me and asked me to do his printing. he was gracious and understanding.”
After he was elected, Seminerio challenged Waisman to come up with good ideas for the Richmond Hill Block Association.
Waisman talked to people and came up with the idea for a technology program, “and after three weeks, he [Seminerio] came back and said ‘start the technology program.'”
Seminerio initially gave $90,000 for the program and “we served the community and people only through his graciousness,” said Waisman.
As time went on, Seminerio gave the block association more money and they grew to become the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center.
Waisman and Seminerio had a close working relationship. “He was funny, he had a big heart. It didn’t matter if you voted for him or not. He was always asking people in the community what they needed and he tried to help them,” said Waisman.
The 75-year-old Seminerio was sentenced in February 2010 by Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald to six years in prison for defrauding the people of New York while he was a member of the State Legislature.
Seminerio pleaded guilty in June of 2009 to charges that he took nearly $1 million from hospitals, a school and other entities for actions he undertook as a member of the State Assembly.