Further delays to the sentences of former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and his wife Linda were granted in late August.
Mangano, who was found guilty of corruption charges along with Linda in March 2019, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison in April by U.S. District Court Judge Joan Azrack. In early July, Arzack delayed Mangano’s 12-year sentence to the end of the month while she was considering a motion by Mangano’s legal team to have him remain free while he appeals his conviction on the corruption charges, according to Newsday.
On Aug. 23, the Second Circuit court order announced that Mangano’s sentencing would not begin until a ruling is made on the motion to overturn Azrack’s order, according to the report. Linda’s sentencing was delayed to Sept. 9 after delays from the Second Circuit, Newsday said.
Efforts to reach Mangano’s attorney, Kevin Keating or Azrack for comment on the matter were unavailing.
Keating told Newsday his team “remain[s] confident and are looking foward to presenting our case.”
Mangano’s conviction is based on a deal he made with Harendra Singh, a restaurateur on Long Island and a star witness in the trial, in which Singh kicked back money and personal benefits in return for pushing the Town of Oyster Bay to authorize loans for Singh, according to a release from the U.S. attorney’s office.
Prosecutors said that several weeks after Mangano took office, he used his political influence to have the Town of Oyster Bay “indirectly guarantee” $20 million worth of personal loans to Singh for improvements to Tobay Beach and the town’s golf course.
Mangano and his wife obstructed justice by conspiring with Singh to fabricate work Linda Mangano supposedly performed at Singh’s restaurant to prevent a grand jury investigation, the news release said.
Singh in turn paid for five vacations, hardwood flooring, a custom office chair, watch and a “no-show” job worth $450,000 for Linda Mangano as a marketing director for Singh, prosecutors said.
Mangano was confirmed to be working at Huntington’s Oheka Castle in 2020, owner Gary Melius told Newsday.
Prosecutors previously said Mangano “led a culture of corruption that permeated throughout his administration: it rotted from the top down.”
Prosecutors initially sought to have Mangano serve a 17.5-year sentence for accepting the bribes and kickbacks for governmental action. Mangano’s actions were far from one mistake and his “criminal conduct began the moment he was elected as Nassau County executive and continued for years” prosecutors said.
Mangano recently received pushback from federal prosecutors for his attempt to stay free on bail while pursuing an appeal of his conviction, calling it a “last-ditch effort” to avoid time in prison.
Prosecutors from the Eastern District U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a letter that they and Mangano’s attorney, John Carman, agreed to the change.
Carman previously told Newsday that Linga Mangano is scheduled to be incarcerated at a federal prison in Danbury, CT.
