“After a thorough examination of the evidence in the case, and in light of the passing of cooperating witness and co-defendant Gerald Migdol, the Government has concluded that it is unable to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, the allegations outlined in the Indictment,” stated the prosecutors. Prior to his demise in February 2024, Migdol, a real estate developer based in Brooklyn, had admitted guilt to bribery charges related to contributions he provided to Benjamin in return for a state grant. “The exoneration of Brian Benjamin today serves as a timely reflection of the enduring words of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., who famously stated: ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,'” articulated Benjamin’s legal team, comprising Barry Berke, Dani James, and Darren LaVerne, in a declaration released on Friday. Benjamin, a former Democratic Senator from Brooklyn, was nominated by Governor Kathy Hochul as her lieutenant governor immediately after assuming office in the wake of Andrew Cuomo’s resignation in 2021. Benjamin resigned shortly after being arraigned on the charges in 2022.”
