“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 prosecution has concluded that it is unable to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, the allegations set forth in the Indictment,” the prosecutors stated. Before his demise in February 2024, Migdol, a real estate developer based in Brooklyn, had admitted guilt to bribery charges related to contributions he had provided to Benjamin in return for a state grant. “Today’s exoneration of Brian Benjamin serves as a timely reflection of the enduring words of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.: ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,'” expressed Benjamin’s legal team, comprising Barry Berke, Dani James, and Darren LaVerne, in a statement released on Friday. Benjamin, a former Democratic state Senator from Brooklyn, was selected by Gov. Kathy Hochul to serve as her lieutenant governor shortly after she assumed office following Andrew Cuomo’s resignation in 2021. Benjamin resigned from his position shortly after facing the charges in 2022.”
