A Brooklyn real-estate firm that landed a $3.5 million city grant flooded Mayor de Blasio’s re-election campaign with nearly $55,000 in donations over five days through family and affiliates, records show.
One of the 11 affiliated donors, Selim Rusi, was previously barred from giving the $4,950 maximum because he does business with the city — but he contributed the max to de Blasio anyway using a subsidiary firm name and a different address than before.
Asked about the over-limit donation, the Campaign Finance Board said it had notified de Blasio’s re-election committee that it must return all but $400 of Rusi’s contribution.
“The campaign will have 20 days to issue a refund to bring this contribution in line with the Doing Business contribution limit,” CFB spokesman Matt Sollars told The Post.
Selim is the son of Sal Rusi, CEO of Salmar Properties, who hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton last year at his Staten Island “White House” mansion — the home built by the late Gambino family boss Paul Castellano.
Other Rusi family members Vivian, Vidiola and David each contributed the maximum to de Blasio between July 6 and July 11 — just ahead of the latest filings deadline.
Asked about the contributions, Sal Rusi said The Post should talk to his relatives, and insisted the donations weren’t tied to the lucrative city grant.
Salmar, which is co-owned by Marvin Schein, got the $3.5 million boost from the city’s Economic Development Corp. in December 2014 for its 1.1 million-square-foot facility, known as Liberty View Industrial Plaza.
Three of Schein’s relatives also donated the maximum over the same days in July. One said it was at Schein’s suggestion.
Another relative noted the family has financially backed a number of elected officials, including Clinton and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
Among the other donors, Spartak Shkoza, an electrician for affiliate firm Allran Electric, was asked what he liked about de Blasio that made him donate.
“Nothing off the top of my head,” said Shkoza, who hadn’t made a prior campaign donation in New York, according to state Board of Elections records.
Confronted with the findings, de Blasio’s campaign spokesman Dan Levitan said the over-the-limit portion of Rusi’s donation will be returned. He added, “To draw a connection with a grant awarded almost two years ago is beyond absurd.”