Sheldon Silver wins one-year get-out-of-jail card

Former Assembly speaker received bail pending appeal of his corruption conviction

Sheldon Silver
Sheldon Silver

Sheldon Silver won’t have to go to jail for at least another year after a judge granted him bail pending appeal, according to a report.

The former speaker of the State Assembly had been sentenced to 12 years in prison for corruption in May, and initially faced a surrender date of Aug. 31. Silver will still have to start paying $7 million in fines and forfeitures in monthly payments of $5,846 starting Sept. 1.

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Silver is appealing his conviction over fraud, extortion and money laundering charges based on a recent Supreme Court ruling that defined corruption more narrowly than before.

Prosecutors found that Silver received at least $4 million in illegal payments. One scheme involved Glenwood Management and Steve Witkoff, who referred business to a law firm that secretly paid fees to Silver.

Soon after Silver’s conviction, State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and his son Adam were also found guilty of corruption[NYP] – Konrad Putzier