Rule number two, when the feds knock on your door, say lawyer. Robert Scinto, one of the region’s largest developers, entered a guilty plea today in federal court across the street from a building he developed on Lafayette Boulevard. His lawyer Jamie Cowdery, represented me in the Ganim case. Life goes on. From CT Post:
BRIDGEPORT–Appearing nervous Robert D. Scinto, one of the region’s largest and wealthiest developers, Thursday became the biggest fish snared so far by federal investigators in their probe of municipal corruption in Shelton.
Scinto, 63, who took a plumbing background and built a real estate empire worth more than $250 million, waived his right to a federal grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty to making a false statement to federal investigators on June 18, 2008 when he told them several times he only provided Christmas gifts to Shelton officials.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Schechter and Rahul Kale maintain they have documentary and testimonial evidence which shows otherwise. They also claim they have at least one recorded conversation in which Scinto tells a person he lied to the FBI.
Scinto, flanked by his lawyers Thomas Murphy on the left and Jamie Cowdery, on the right, both former federal prosecutors here, softly pronounced himself guilty during proceedings before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel. He now faces up to five years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 7 by Senior U.S. District Judge Charles S. Haight in New Haven. Haight has been assigned all four of the Shelton corruption cases so far.
Scinto allegedly provided building supplies and a $2,500 cash payment to Elliott Wilson, Shelton’s building official, according to court documents filed in Wilson’s case. Wilson pleaded guilty to lying to a federal grand jury about that and other matters and also faces a five year maximum sentence in January.
The prosecutors also claim Scinto lied to the agents about gifts provided to another public official believed to be Mayor Mark Lauretti.
Lauretti repeatedly has denied any wrongdoing. Although he has been implicated in court proceedings, he has never been charged with any wrongdoing.
Jesus Christ is there anyone out there who is not on the take or who is not offering up goodies to public officials? This one is a surprise.
town committee // Oct 21, 2010 at 3:46 pm
In response
tc,
The answer is yes … there are people not on the take and people who do not regard public service as “self-service” …
We would love your help and intelligence in the Gomes campaign effort to become Mayor of Bridgeport in 2011 …
At least he built Shelton’s tax base up … Would that we could say the same.
Frustrated; You are 100% correct and how I wish it had been Bridgeport. The thing that pisses me off is that this now taints a hardworking man’s life’s work and I know he did it to himself. You now have to question every project and wonder who had their hand out. It’s amazing people would sell themselves out for so little like a bunch of these city officials in Shelton did. Yeah I know we have our share here in Bridgeport. Greed is everywhere; I was involved in a case in a town where the building official was bribed to take down a fire-damaged building. He sold out for a few thousand dollars and ended up arrested and fired. I guess no one feels they will be caught. BTW the building stayed up until we were done with it.
The “hard working” son of a bitch flaunted the law for his own advantage. Screw him.
“… His lawyer Jamie Cowdery, represented me in the Ganim case. Life goes on.”
Does that mean Cowdery will make a deal to cooperate with the feds in return for a lighter sentence for Scinto?
Do you think Scinto will Botti-up (unless Botti too decides to cooperate)?
*** I have nothing to say, but I want an attorney present @ this time, thank you! But you know whoever makes a deal first gets the best deal! I have nothing to say but I want an attorney present, thank you! *** Back to Basics ***
Maybe he can do a talk show on CNN now. BTW, anyone can build up Bpt the way he built up Shelton … you just have to get rid of the thugs and gangs first. The crime rate in BPT will never allow for expansion.
Just: That is Just plain bullshit.