Long Island pol Mangano and wife convicted of federal corruption charges in retrial

One-time Long Island GOP power broker Edward Mangano and his weeping wife were convicted Friday on federal corruption charges — including a failed cover-up of their crimes.

Mangano’s head drooped at the defense table as first guilty verdict echoed through the Central Islip, L.I., courtroom, and his spouse, Linda, began crying as the convictions continued.

“As found by the jury, Edward Mangano abused his power as a public official by taking bribes and kickbacks from a businessman in exchange for helping him obtain loans worth millions of taxpayer dollars,” said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue. “Among the personal benefits received was a lucrative no-show job for Linda Mangano.

“The defendants tried and failed to cover up their crimes by lying to the FBI and federal prosecutors, and will now be held responsible for those crimes.”

Prosecutors alleged that Edward Mangano accepted bribes from his close friend and former restaurateur Harendra Singh, including a $450,000 no-show job for his wife, a $7,300 wristwatch for one of their sons, free meals and five vacations.

Linda Mangano’s bogus $100,000-a-year restaurant position was listed as food taster and menu planner, according to authorities.

Lawyers for the Bethpage, L.I., couple promised appeals on the guilty counts that left the Manganos, both age 56, facing substantial jail time. The obstruction of justice counts for both carry a 20-year maximum sentence.

“We’re going to go home and obviously take care of Linda, who clearly should not have been charged in the first instance,” Mangano said outside the federal courthouse. “That’s very hurtful to us, right through the heart hurtful, that Linda has to go through any of this … We will be vindicated.”

A sobbing Linda Mangano struggled to keep her composure while echoing her husband’s call to appeal the verdict returned after six days of deliberations.

The jury convicted Edward Mangano of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, federal program bribery, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and honest services wire fraud.

Linda Mangano was convicted of obstruction of justice and two counts of lying to the FBI, and both were convicted of conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The government’s first prosecution of the pair ended with May 2018 mistrial following three months of testimony and deliberations.

The defense argued that any favors given the couple by Singh were the result of a longstanding friendship. Singh had previously pleaded guilty to bribing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, acknowledging that he received benefits from City Hall in return for his financial support.

Singh testified for six days at the Mangano trial, detailing his payoffs to the politician and how Mangano “did favors for me.”

He also recounted four meetings with the Manganos in an effort to get his story straight about the job given to Linda Mangano and other corrupt payoffs.

In closing arguments at the second trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Mirabile called Singh and Edward Mangano “partners in crime … tied by corruption, power and greed.”

Mangano turned “public service (into) self service” by using his position to cash in on illegal benefits for him and his wife, Mirabile alleged.