Pedro Espada Jr., the outgoing state Senate majority leader and poster child for Albany corruption, was indicted in Brooklyn federal court yesterday for allegedly looting his Bronx health clinic to pay for lavish meals, Broadway tickets — and a $49,000 down payment on a Bentley.
The long-expected indictments against Espada and his son came just two weeks before the longtime pol, perhaps most infamous for spearheading a Senate coup last year that paralyzed state government, is due to leave office after losing his September re-election primary.
Over the past two years, The Post has chronicled Espada’s abuse of public office and his nonprofit clinic — from stocking its board with cronies to lying on his tax forms.
“This case in my opinion is the most outrageous abuse of public office that I have ever seen,” said outgoing attorney general and incoming Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“I’m about to leave this office, but I couldn’t leave on a better note,” said Cuomo, whose office worked closely with the US attorney and the FBI over the past year.
Espada, 56, and his son, Pedro Gautier Espada, 35, are expected to surrender today to answer five embezzlement counts and one count of conspiracy that netted them at least $500,000 intended to help impoverished clients of their network of clinics.
“The indictment alleges that funds that could and should have been applied to purchase medical equipment and enhance health-care services for an historically under-served population were diverted by the defendants for their personal use,” said US Attorney Loretta Lynch.
They each face more than 55 years in prison.
Between 2005 and 2009, Espada and his son used the Soundview Health Center, which received about a $1 million a year in federal funds alone, as their personal piggy bank, the indictment charged, echoing The Post’s revelations.
Espada founded the clinic in 1978 and had used it as his political base — doling out jobs to friends and political supporters.
Among the charges laid out in the indictment:
* Espada and his family charged $100,000 on Soundview’s corporate American Express card for pricey meals in restaurants across Westchester, Broadway shows like “Mamma Mia,” “Jersey Boys” and “Mary Poppins,” Yankees and Mets tickets and Kenny G and NE-YO concerts.
* Espada’s son rigged a Soundview contract bid so his family-owned janitorial company would win it at an inflated price, as The Post first disclosed.
* The two used the for-profit janitorial firm, Comprehensive Community Development Corp., to pay for his campaign headquarters, political mailers and even pony rides and a petting zoo outing for a family member’s birthday party.
* Espada attempted to use a $49,000 check from the Development Corporation to make a down payment on a new Bentley. When his financing was denied because the dealership considered him too risky, he used the corporation’s money to pay a credit-repair firm to improve his score.
Espada was stripped of his Senate leadership position yesterday after the indictment was made public, said Austin Shafran, spokesman for the Senate Majority Conference.
State Sen. Martin Golden (R-Brooklyn) quipped last night, “Espada’s nine lives are up.
“He embezzled hard money that people could have used. It’s a bad mark on the Legislature.”
Much of the evidence in the corruption case emerged during court-ordered raids and searches of properties linked to Espada, a source told The Post.
Investigators combed through boxes of records seized in the searches, eventually compiling a paper trail that helped them see the Bronx Democrat’s big-spender habits.
What followed was a case built largely on documents, the source said, which allowed agents to follow the money.
“Today is a sad day for Soundview and a sad day for the Espada family. Senator Espada and his son deny any wrongdoing and we intend to fight the charges in court,” said his attorney, Susan Necheles.
Earlier this year, Cuomo’s office sued Espada for alleged wrongdoing at Soundview.
The most sensational allegation in that case was that Espada spent more than $20,000 on sushi for himself and family at Toyo Sushi, a Mamaroneck restaurant near his home.
The senator always dined there with his wife, restaurant employees recalled, and his favorite dish was a special sushi roll consisting of spicy tuna, King crab, avocado and tempura crunch, wrapped with seaweed.
Despite running up high tabs at the restaurant, the Bronx pol’s tipping levels were only “moderate,” one employee told The Post.
For decades, Espada’s political career was mired in controversy.
After a rabble-rousing start as a community organizer in The Bronx, Espada founded the Soundview clinic in 1978 and first won his state Senate seat in 1992.
Cuomo said father and son could face up to 10 years in prison on each of five embezzlement charges, five years for a single conspiracy count and fines of $250,000 on each charge.
Espada arrived at his home last night in leafy Mamaroneck — miles from the district he supposedly represented and where he rented an apartment — but scurried inside before speaking to reporters.
Additional reporting by Joe Mollica and Brendan Scott