An elaborate bagel scheme is part of a web of shady conspiracies that have resulted in a City Councilman being hit with a federal indictment.
Larry Seabrook, a Bronx, N.Y. city councilman, has allegedly funneled $2.5 million to himself, family and friends.
The 58-year-old’s most shameless scheme included altering a $7 receipt for a bagel sandwich and a diet drink to make it appear he paid $177 for a lunch that was delivered to City Hall. Seabrook then took that receipt for expense reimbursement.
His lawyer, Murray Richman, had brilliant remarks when asked to comment: “Bagels can be expensive.”
According to the New York Post, the Major League Baseball Champion New York Yankees were involved as well. The newspaper said that Seabrook leaned on the team to award a Bronx boiler manufacturer a lucrative contract for the Bombers’ new stadium — and his political club then received $41,000 in kickbacks from the firm, authorities said. The money was then allegedly re-routed to the councilman.
The article also states that he was awarding undeserving nonprofit salaries of more than $500,000 to his wife, girlfriend, brother, sisters and nephews.
More from the Post:
“His alleged scams were at least partially aided by the City Council’s longtime improper practice of keeping a “slush fund” for members — earmarked money, set aside in the names of phony entities, that the politicians could tap for their pet projects at their discretion. The Post exposed the council slush scandal in 2008, igniting a series of investigations.”
Life in local government can certainly get difficult at times. However, when you think times are rough in your area … well, “It Could Be Worse.”
“It Could Be Worse” focuses on a range of embarrassing stories out there, dedicated to some of the more interesting happenings with those involved in local government across the country.
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