NY State judge convicted of obstruction of a federal probe

A New York State Supreme Court judge, Sylvia Ash,  64, was convicted Monday of obstructing a federal probe into one of the nation's largest and oldest credit unions. The Municipal Credit Union serves over half million New York City workers, including hospital, state and federal employees.

After a two-week trial, Justice Ash, of Brooklyn, was convicted of obstruction of justice and making a false statement to a federal agent, and conspiracy. She was acquitted of a different obstruction count.

The verdict was returned in Manhattan federal court and given after evidence was heard supporting charges that Ash took a series of steps over multiple months to obstruct the investigation into financial misconduct at the MCU during the time she was on the board of MCU from May 2008 to August 2016, when she resigned. She served as the board's chair from May 2015 until her resignation.

Politics is obviously not the issue in a criminal case, but suffice it to say, Sylvia Ash was not a Trump voter. 

“Obstruction of justice, particularly by a sitting state court judge, is a serious crime, and Ash now faces punishment for her obstruction scheme,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a release.

According to prosecutors, Ash pocketed tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursements and other benefits from MCU from 2012 through 2016 in the forms of hotels and entertainment for her and a guest to attend conferences here and abroad, airfare included, as well as annual birthday parties at a minor league baseball stadium, cable bill and phone payments and electronic devices.

Whatever she was making as a federal judge was not enough for her needs or her greed.

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The big irony is, however, that along with her duties as judge, she also served on New York State's Commission on Judicial Conduct. Their mission is "to enforce high standards of conduct for judges, who must be free to act independently, on the merits and in good faith, but also must be held accountable should they commit misconduct."

Sentencing was set for April 20.

Karma is a bitch.

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