Metro

New ‘role’ for restaurateur ensnared in Kruger corruption probe

He rejected an offer by the feds to play a role in a corruption case against state Sen. Carl Kruger, but now this Brooklyn restaurateur has landed an even bigger role in a reality TV show about Brighton Beach.

Michael Levitis, owner of Rasputin Restaurant and Nightclub, and his wife Marina, will be cast members of the upcoming Lifetime reality show “Brighton Beach,” sources confirmed today.

Levitis last month pled guilty to lying about his role in an effort to bribe Kruger after previously declining to help the FBI in its ongoing case against the embattled pol. Levitis faces up to six months in jail.

Despite the casting revelation, the blog Sheepshead Bites reported local Russian-American leaders have dropped previous criticism that Lifetime may play up to ethnic stereotypes, saying they now “trust” the network.

The blog also reported that Levitis’ wife, Marina, the star of the show, has been spotted at local events and “her behavior in front of cameras” left sources “thinking more of ‘Real Housewives of Brighton Beach’ than the tame tones of Lifetime’s traditional programming.”

Related story:

Confessed criminal and Kruger crony to star in Brighton Beach reality show (Sheepshead Bites)