A big-time donor to Mayor de Blasio, expected to testify in an upcoming public corruption trial, is more deeply involved in criminal activity than the government lets on, new court papers claim.
Jona Rechnitz, who quietly admitted to giving campaign contributions in exchange for favors, is set to take the stand against former Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association honcho Norman Seabrook, as well as Murray Huberfeld, the onetime head of Platinum Partners hedge fund.
Huberfeld’s lawyers believe the feds have information that Rechnitz “knowingly participated” in a wholesale ticket business scam, they said in court papers Monday.
This bogus wholesale stubs business involves Jason Nissen, who was hit with one wire fraud count in May for allegedly duping investors out of $70 million.
Despite info from wiretaps, a “secret recording” of Nissen and emails, prosecutors continue to resist the idea Rechnitz was Nissen’s “apparent co-conspirator,” Huberfeld’s lawyers argue.
