By Howard Koplowitz
More than three years after he pleaded guilty to embezzling $2.2 million from such groups as the Electchester Athletic Association, the Central Labor Council and his own campaign account, jailed former state Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin has yet to pay back the organizations he stole from.
McLaughlin, who is serving a 10-year sentence after admitting to embezzlement, corruption and other charges, is expected to be released from a medium-security prison in Otisville, 70 miles northwest of the city, April 5, 2018.
A spokeswoman for the Manhattan U.S. attorney, whose office prosecuted McLaughlin in 2008, said the office is moving forward to force McLaughlin to pay the restitution.
“At this time, everyone has been notified,” the spokeswoman said of the fleeced groups. “Our office has reached out to all the parties involved.”
Attorney Norman Rothfeld, who represents the Electchester Athletic Association, which is owed more than $90,000 by McLaughlin, said the group has not received any funds from the corrupt former elected official, who represented Flushing, Electchester and Whitestone.
Rothfeld said he sent a letter to U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara about the funds and said he was told the office was “working on it.”
Mario Cilento, a spokesman for the Central Labor Council, said the organization was reimbursed for the theft by its insurance company in April 2009.
McLaughlin’s campaign account, the Committee to Elect Brian McLaughlin, is still active and had a balance of more than $285,000 as of July 23, according to state Campaign Finance Board records.
The committee’s attorney, Martin Conor, and its treasurer, Joshua Erlich, wrote a letter earlier this month saying they were not contesting that any of the money in the account was theirs, according to court records.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4573.
