Former New York state Sen. Shirley Huntley pleaded guilty today to mail fraud charges after admitting to embezzling more than $87,000 in taxpayer funds earmarked for a non-profit.
The Queens Democrat said that she used government grants for her charitable non-profit education organization, the Parents Information Network, to buy personal items and benefit family members.
Huntley admitted that she utilized “straw recipients” to help disguise her embezzlement scheme from the charity, which was founded to help parents understand issues related to the New York City school system.
Several large withdrawals of the money intended for the non-profit organization instead were slipped to some of Huntley’s relatives, officials said.
“And did you know that was criminal conduct?” Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein asked at today’s hearing.
“Yes, your honor, I did,” the ex-lawmaker answered.
Huntley, who served in the state legislature from 2007 to 2012, admitted that she had committed felony mail fraud in furtherance of her embezzlement scheme.
“I’m guilty. I plead guilty,” Huntley said.
The former legislator will face up to two years in prison under a plea agreement, and also must pay more than $87,000 in restitution to New York state to make up for the tax money she stole.
Huntley also promised to pay $1000 to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as restitution for a bribery scheme involving a cargo-handling operation at JFK Airport, officials said.
The embattled ex-legislator was initially indicted on Aug. 27 by the New York state Attorney General’s Office on charges that she falsified documents to conceal the fact that her niece and an aide allegedly siphoned $30,000 from a sham charity she created.
But Brooklyn federal prosecutors assigned to an anti-corruption squad – working with a special team of FBI agents – quietly opened a mail fraud case against Huntley.
The ex-legislator did not speak to reporters and declined to answer questions as she left the Brooklyn federal courthouse this afternoon.
Loretta Lynch, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said the former legislator had betrayed the public trust.
“Huntley’s experience and influence were supposed to be used for the benefit of her constituents. Instead, Huntley used her knowledge of the system to steal funds intended to help some of her neediest constituents, lining her own pockets at the expense of parents in need, and ultimately their children,” Lynch said.
Huntley is also expected to plead guilty to felony evidence tampering charges stemming from the state corruption case against her that’s still pending in Nassau County Supreme Court, a source said.
mmaddux@nypost.com