Embattled Brooklyn state Sen. John Sampson is up to his old funny-money tricks, critics charge.
Sampson was indicted by the feds last year for allegedly stealing $440,000 from housing escrow accounts and using part of the proceeds to help fund a failed bid to become Brooklyn district attorney.
Sampson has yet to stand trial and is seeking re-election to his Senate seat. But he is now being accused by a chief rival and election lawyers of using questionable, if not illegal, practices to finance his re-election campaign.
Sampson has reported that his campaign treasury has a deficit of $28,746 — a red flag that raises questions on how or where he’s getting the money to finance his re-election bid.
The Committee to Re-elect John Sampson raised only $36,646 over the past six months. And he has to pay mounting legal bills from lawyers in the pending federal case.
Last year, Sampson made a $35,000 payment to his attorneys Dorsey & Whitney.
He has been indicted by Brooklyn federal prosecutors for allegedly stealing $440,000 from an escrow on foreclosed properties to help fund his prior campaign for district attorney.
He is also charged with five counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of making false statements to the FBI.
Dell Smitherman, a leading candidate seeking to oust Sampson in the Democratic primary, claims the former Democratic leader is allegedly breaking the law again.
“John Sampson has been arrested for funneling embezzled money into his previous campaign, and is now illegally spending funds on this race without reporting where his shady money is coming from,” Smitherman spokesman Nathan Smith alleged.
Sampson did not return calls seeking comment.
But election lawyers agreed that running a campaign on red ink looked suspicious.
“What bank would allow you to continue to write checks when you have a negative balance?” Jerry Goldfeder said. “He might very well face consequences. It sounds like he’s spending money that he doesn’t have or he’s not reporting money he’s taking in. Both of which seem to be pretty serious offenses.”
Election lawyer Sarah Steiner agreed: “You’re not supposed to do that. It’s highly questionable, if not illegal. There are red flags all over the place.”