Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada and his son Pedro G. Espada had a very bad day yester day: They were indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with looting the Bronx non-profit health-care centers the senior Espada has run for three decades.
So congratulations to outgoing Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, US Attorney Lorretta Lynch, the FBI and the IRS — who all had a hand in the Espada indictments.
And, if you don’t mind, The Post deserves a nod for getting the wheels of justice turning with its reporting on the Espadas’ shenanigans last year.
Both Espadas were indicted on five counts of embezzling $500,000 from the Soundview Health Network in The Bronx and one count of conspiracy for schemes that included:
* Using Soundview’s corporate credit card for personal expenses such as Broadway shows, sporting events and more than $100,000 in personal meals.
* Using a for-profit janitorial company subsidiary to divert funds from Soundview for various personal and political expenses — including a down payment on the senator’s Bentley automobile.
* Diverting rental payments owed to Soundview to two different subsidiaries for personal expenses for themselves and other family members.
* Rigging Soundview bidding on janitorial services to ensure that their
own personal janitorial vendor won contracts at inflated prices.
These indictments follow lengthy public scrutiny of Espada and his familial ties, beginning with The Post’s exposing nearly 18 months ago the majority leader’s attempt to install his son in a no-show $120,000 Senate job.
A series of articles then revealed the extent that Espada had used the Medicaid and Medicare-funded Soundview facility as a personal piggy bank for himself, family members and his cronies.
In April, Cuomo filed a civil lawsuit focusing on $14 million that Espada as Soundview CEO had siphoned off for personal gain; simultaneously, Cuomo brought in the feds to see if the plunder reached criminal heights.
That question was answered resoundingly yesterday.
The two cases — civil and criminal — will now continue on parallel tracks.
Cuomo called Espada’s activity, “One of the most outrageous abuses of public office I have ever seen.”
No kidding.
He added, “We’re sending a message today . . . The days when Albany politicians can victimize taxpayers are over.”
On that score, only time will tell. Frankly, Pedro Espada and his cronies have been in the judicial crosshairs before — and managed to wriggle free.
But this is certainly a good start — and a hopeful sign for when Cuomo takes the gubernatorial oath of office on Jan. 1.