BUFFALO, NY - Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A.
Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney
James P. Kennedy Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury sitting in the
Western District of New York returned an eight-count indictment against former
Erie County, NY Democratic party chair G. Steven Pigeon for bribing a New York
State supreme court justice. “Bribery of a judge strikes at the very core of our
democracy,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “The independence of the judiciary is
paramount to civilized society. Our
prosecutors and law enforcement partners will pursue any and all attempts to
corrupt our fundamental institutions, including the judiciary.”“The detailed facts set forth in the indictment provide
evidence not only of the charges contained therein but of the tremendous
investigation conducted by agents from the Buffalo Division of the FBI together
with their partners at the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the New
York State Police,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “The indictment speaks for itself.”Pigeon, 56, of Buffalo, NY, was charged with one count of
conspiracy to commit bribery and honest services wire fraud, three counts of
honest services wire fraud, one count of federal programs bribery and three
counts of violation of the Travel Act.According to the indictment, between February 2012 and April
2013, Pigeon offered and provided things of value to former New York State
Supreme Court Judge John A. Michalek, in exchange for official action.
Specifically, Pigeon promised employment for a member of Michalek’s immediate
family with the 2012 campaign to reelect President Barack Obama; offered to
help the same family member obtain employment with the U.S. Department of
State; and agreed to support Michalek’s application for appointment to the
appellate division of the New York State Supreme Court, all to obtain favorable
judicial decisions from Michalek and to control who Michalek would appoint to a
paid court receivership. Pigeon was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate
Judge Michael J. Roemer and released on conditions pending trial of this matter
before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.The indictment is the result of an investigation by the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge
Adam S. Cohen; the New York State Attorney General’s Office, under the
direction of Eric T. Schneiderman; and the New York State Police, under the
direction of Major Edward Kennedy. The
case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief John Keller of the Criminal Division’s
Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno of the
Western District of New York.
