Steve Pigeon, a former political powerhouse in western New York, pleaded guilty Friday to bribing a state judge.
Authorities said Pigeon offered Buffalo Supreme Court Justice John Michalek help in obtaining employment and political appointments for family members.
Pigeon also provided Michalek and his family members free tickets to box seats for two Buffalo Sabres hockey games and a political fundraiser.
In exchange, Michalek gave Pigeon “non-public” or privileged information about cases pending before the court, authorities said.
The judge also appointed an attorney of Pigeon’s choosing as a receiver ”when that person was not on a court-issued list of qualified receivers,” according to state Attorney General Barbara Underwood.
Michalek pleaded guilty in 2016.
“Steve Pigeon orchestrated a brazen, multi-year scheme to bridge a sitting judge — demonstrating flagrant contempt for the rule of law and the interests of New Yorkers. Now, he’s being brought to justice,” Underwood, whose office prosecuted the case, said.
Pigeon had served as the Eric County Democratic leader and had ties to top Democratic officials, including Gov. Cuomo. Sen. Chuck Schumer and Bill and Hillary Clinton.
But he also worked with Republicans and third-party candidates.
Pigeon helped engineer the brief coup in the state Senate in 2009 in which two Democrats — Pedro Espada and Hiram Monserrate — helped Republicans gain control of the chamber.
Both Espada and Monserrate were both later convicted of stealing government funds and served time in prison.