NEW YORK (AP) – A November trial date has been set for a jury to hear the corruption case brought against former New York state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Federal Judge Valerie Caproni set the Nov. 2 trial date on Tuesday after Silver pleaded not guilty to the latest indictment.
Outside court, Silver said he was glad a trial date was set because he’s looking forward to being vindicated by a jury.
He said he feels no different about the indictment after prosecutors added a new claim against him last week.
Prosecutors say he did “official” favors for an investor who gave him access to high-yield investment opportunities.
Silver is free on bail after his January arrest on charges he exploited his power in Albany to take $4 million in kickbacks.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
Former New York state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is scheduled to enter a plea to the latest version of a criminal indictment that led him to step down from his powerful post.
The Democrat is set to enter a plea in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday. Last week, prosecutors boosted charges against Silver, saying he did “certain official” favors for an investor who gave him access to high-yield investment opportunities.
The accusation was added to an indictment that alleged he exploited his power in Albany to collect $4 million in kickbacks.
Silver, who pleaded not guilty to the indictment previously and said he will be vindicated, stepped down from his job as Assembly speaker after his January arrest. He has retained his Assembly seat.
The rewritten indictment alleges that Silver in 2006 exploited his relationship with a person identified in court papers only as “Investor-1” to gain access to private, high-yield, low-risk investment opportunities not normally available to the public.
According to the indictment, Silver transferred $642,000 into investment vehicles that more than doubled in value over the next decade to over $1.4 million.
It said Silver distributed his crime proceeds across numerous high-yield investment vehicles and then rewarded the investment adviser by taking “certain official actions” the adviser had requested.
Silver attorneys Joel Cohen and Steven Molo said the new charge was an attempt by the government to address flaws in the indictment that the defense pointed out.