Prosecutors Ask for 17.5-Years in Prison for Ed Mangano

By Rupert Deedes

Federal prosecutors on Thursday asked the court to send convicted felon Ed Mangano, the former Nassau County Executive, to jail for 17.5 years, and order him to pay millions of dollars in restitution for selling “the power of his office” in a “stunning abuse of power.”

According to prosecutors, Mangano is "unrepentant and shamelessly blames everyone else but himself for his crimes. His lack of remorse warrants a stiff sentence."

The prosecutors said that Mangano took bribes to influence $20 million in loans to Harendra Singh, who, in return, lavished expensive gifts and a $450,000 “no-show” job on Mangano, his wife, and their son.

Singh, who was the prosecution’s star witness, defaulted on the loans, and the prosecutors said Mangano should pay at least $15 million in restitution -- $11 million to Phoenix Life Insurance Company, the company which repaid the defaulted loans, and $4 million for the town's legal fees.

The prosecutors also asked the court to issue a forfeiture order in the amount of $527,606.95 — the amount of the bribes Mangano received in the form of his wife Linda's "sham" no-show job and luxury beach vacations worth about $70,000.

Federal prosecutors said in their memo to the court that Mangano "monetized his power and influence and betrayed the people of Nassau County…The defendant put his financial interests above the interests of those he was elected to serve."

Mangano served as Nassau County Executive from 2010 to 2018. He is remembered as a "back-stabber" who crossed party lines in 2014 to endorse the re-election of disgraced ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Linda Mangano was convicted for lying to the FBI about her $454,000 "no-show" job as a “food taster.”

Mangano's top deputy Rob Walker, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for trying to cover-up of a $5,000 payment he took from a county contractor.

Defense attorneys argues that Singh’s gifts were not bribes, but gifts from a friend. "As a matter of law, and fact, Edward Mangano is innocent," Mangano’s lawyer, Kevin Keating, said.

Mangano and his wife, 58-year old Linda Mangano, will be sentenced on April 14th.