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Brooklyn State Sen. John Sampson Embroiled in FBI Corruption Probe

Brooklyn state Sen. John Sampson may surrender as soon as this week to face federal charges, including obstruction of justice, in a widening corruption scandal involving Albany legislators, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.

The case against Sampson, a Democrat, is based in part on the cooperation of two of his associates, including former state Sen. Shirley Huntley, who secretly recorded his conversations, the sources said.

The other associate is a Queens businessman, the sources said. Both are cooperating with Eastern District federal prosecutors and the FBI, the sources added.

Attorneys for Sampson did not immediately return calls for comment.

Sampson was first elected in 1996 and represents a swath of southern Brooklyn from East New York to Brownsville and Sheepshead Bay. He has served as chairman of the Senate Ethics and Judiciary committees and had been co-majority leader.

In January, Huntley pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn to stealing almost $90,000 from Parents Information Network, a government-funded nonprofit she ran. The organization was to have assisted parents of children in the New York City school system.

Huntley, 74, last May agreed to record her colleagues after the FBI told her she had been recorded on wiretaps in fraud and bribery schemes, court documents show. She recorded nine people, including seven elected officials, prosecutors revealed in court documents.

Source: HuffingtonPost.com

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