Diane Gordon Convicted

STATEMENT BY DEPARTMENT OF INVESTIGATION (DOI) COMMISSIONER ROSE
GILL HEARN
ON THE CONVICTION OF NYS ASSEMBLYWOMAN DIANE GORDON FOR CORRUPTION

Today's felony conviction of New York State Assemblywoman DIANE
GORDON, which resulted from a DOI undercover investigation, is
gratifying news. As an elected official, GORDON was supposed to work for
the best interests of her Brooklyn community. Instead, GORDON marketed
herself as a corrupt legislator ready to use her position to help a
private builder unlawfully acquire City-owned land in her district if
he, in exchange, would build her a half-million-dollar house in a gated
community in Queens for practically no money. We know this because
GORDON said so in nine meetings with the builder while DOI investigators
secretly recorded their conversations. For example, GORDON told the
builder, who was cooperating with DOI, "I want to deliver these
properties to you so I can get this house for little to nothing. I
don't want to pay a mortgage." DOI's investigation further
showed that GORDON sought to conceal her crimes by arranging for her
mother to act as the purchaser of the house and for the builder to
deposit approximately $7,500 in a checking account opened in her
mother's name, which her mother then returned to the builder as a
purported "down payment." Today, the jury in Brooklyn found that the
evidence painstakingly gathered by DOI investigators proved
Assemblywoman GORDON guilty of crimes involving abuse of her public
office.

That GORDON, a State legislator, seized on a City program to build
affordable housing on City-owned land in her district as her opportunity
to sell her office and to obtain her own luxury housing elsewhere adds a
layer of outrageousness to her misconduct. It's fortunate that DOI was
right there to witness and record GORDON'S criminal scheme as it
unfolded, ensure that it failed, and expose it publicly by referring the
evidence for criminal prosecution.

I thank and congratulate Kings County District Attorney Charles J.
Hynes and his staff, particularly Assistant District Attorney Michael
Spanakos, for their professionalism in prosecuting this case to its
successful conclusion and all the DOI investigators whose skill and
professionalism made this prosecution possible, particularly Deputy
Commissioner Vincent E. Green, Assistant Commissioner Alberta Ancrum,
and Assistant Inspector General Joseph H. Medina.

DOI is one of the oldest law-enforcement agencies in the country. The
agency investigates and refers for prosecution City employees and
contractors engaged in corrupt or fraudulent activities or unethical
conduct. Investigations may involve any agency, officer, elected
official or employee of the City, as well as those who do business with
or receive benefits from the City.
Get the worms out of the Big Apple.
To report someone ripping off the City, call DOI at (212) 825-5959.