Corruption: Former New York Police Commissioner pleads guilty to eight felonies

Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Joseph M. Demarest, Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the FBI and Patricia J. Haynes, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office, Criminal Investigation, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), have announced that Bernard B. Kerik, former Commissioner of the New York City Police Department and the Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty in White Plains federal court to eight felonies, two of which were separately charged in an indictment in the District of Columbia.

Kerik pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen C. Robinson to: one count of obstructing and impeding the due administration of the internal revenue laws from 1999 to 2007, one count of aiding in the preparation of a false tax return (for the 2000 tax year), one count of making a false statement on a loan application and five counts of making false statements to the federal government. Two of the false statement counts - the two counts that Kerik also agreed to transfer to White Plains from Washington, D.C. - relate to materially false statements that Kerik made to White House officials vetting him for the position of Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

At today's plea hearing, Kerik admitted, among other things, that in 1999 and 2000, he received substantial renovations to his Riverdale apartment through Interstate (a metropolitan area-contractor) and conceded that Interstate paid approximately $255,000 for the renovations. Kerik also admitted that around the same time, he contacted New York City regulators concerning Interstate. Kerik further admitted that he failed to report the value of the renovations he received through Interstate on his federal tax returns. And Kerik admitted that he made false statements to the White House concerning the renovations he received on his Riverdale apartment and his relationship with Interstate when he was being vetted for the position of Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

"It is a sad day when the former chief law enforcement officer of New York City pleads guilty to eight federal felonies," said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. "But no one is above the law. And this office will not hesitate to pursue any public official who violates his oath and betrays the public trust."

Kerik, 54, faces a statutory maximum sentence of 61 years. Kerik has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $187,931 and is also subject to additional fines.

Judge Robinson scheduled Kerik's sentencing for Feb.18, 2010 at 10 a.m.

Mr. Bharara praised the investigative work of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI. Mr. Bharara also thanked the New York City Department of Investigation, the Bronx District Attorney's Office, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia for their assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Jacobson, Perry A. Carbone and Michael S. Bosworth are in charge of the prosecution.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

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