New York state Assemblywoman Vivian Cook allegedly funneled thousands of dollars in public money to a corrupt fellow legislator — and was then rewarded with lavish shopping trips underwritten by taxpayer funds, The Post has learned.
Cook — a 75-year-old Queens Democrat first elected to the Assembly more than two decades ago — helped procure the government money for an organization run by former state Sen. Shirley Huntley, according to several sources.
Huntley, a fellow Queens Democrat, pleaded guilty earlier this week to charges linked to her embezzlement of nearly $90,000 in public money from that organization, known as the Parents Information Network (PIN).
Ellis Kaplan
Sen. Shirley Huntley
When Huntley appeared in court, she spoke about how her murky arrangement with Cook guaranteed that a pipeline of tax dollars flowed to the nonprofit education charity, with the money later siphoned off to pay personal expenses.
“I have an agreement with a member of the New York state Assembly,” Huntley told a judge.
“This person ensured that state funds would be directed to PIN for what is known as ‘member items,’ ” Huntley explained. “Once PIN received the state funds, I alerted this person, and together we used PIN’s funds for personal shopping.”
Although her name was not mentioned in court, Cook has been identified as the state Assembly member who earmarked the tax dollars for Huntley’s private organization, according to several sources.
And it was Cook who joined Huntley on many of these private shopping excursions, which were financed with the embezzled government funds, according to several sources.
Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein asked Huntley about her arrangement with the Assembly member.
“Did you know that that was criminal conduct?” Weinstein asked.
“Yes, your Honor, I did,” Huntley replied.
Brooklyn federal prosecutors described the shady arrangement in an official report, saying that “on multiple occasions” the unnamed public official now confirmed to be Cook “took steps to ensure that Parents Information Network would receive public funds.”
The government money was supposed to underwrite the nonprofit, which promised to provide information and hold workshops on leadership and parenting skills for public-school parents.
Cook, who has been a Democratic district leader in Queens for more than 25 years, has not been charged to date with wrongdoing. She did not return numerous telephone and e-mail requests from The Post for comment from The Post.
Both Huntley’s and Cook’s alleged activities were uncovered by a team of FBI agents and prosecutors from the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn that is probing political corruption in southeastern Queens.
Among others already ensnared in that probe are Jimmy Meng, a former New York state assemblyman from Flushing who pleaded guilty in November to soliciting bribes.
Edul Ahmad, a Queens businessman who loaned $40,000 to the embattled Rep. Gregory Meeks, pleaded guilty in October and is awaiting sentencing for a $50 million mortgage-fraud scheme.
Meeks, a Democratic congressman who represents southeastern Queens, remains under investigation by federal prosecutors, sources say.
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