Disgraced former State Senator Carl Kruger will become a senior citizen behind bars. After pleading guilty to federal corruption charges in December, the 62-year-old Brooklyn pol was sentenced yesterday to seven years in prison. His very close gynecologist buddy, Dr. Michael Turano, 50, was sentenced to two years in prison for his part in the scandal. According to the Post, the pair shared "shared a long, lingering embrace" before being parted to go off on their separate prison terms.
"I am sorry," Kruger told the court. "I am sorry for bringing discredit to the New York state Legislature. I am sorry for abandoning my constituents, who elected me to serve them. Worst of all, I have destroyed the brilliant medical career of Michael Turano. I have destroyed a career I helped build and the people I love. I am broken, destroyed and disgraced." His plea seems to have helped, as Judge Jed Rakoff's sentence was less than the nine to 11 1/2 years that federal guidelines called for.
Both Kruger and Michael Turano were also ordered to forfeit $223,534."Once corruption takes hold, democracy becomes a charade. When a legislator accepts bribes, it betrays a trust and strikes a blow at the principle our democracy was founded on," Judge Rakoff said yesterday.
Kruger had been accused of accepting more than $1 million in bribes from hospital executives in exchange for political favors. "And for what?" US Attorney Michael Bosworth asked yesterday. "To help the Turano family? They weren’t paupers. The facts and circumstance of these offenses are quite venal." Venal, or romantic? "But for the fact that it has a horrible end, it’s sort of a nice story," Kruger's lawyer pointed out yesterday regarding the closeness of his client and the Turano family.
Also at the sentencing was Turano's doctor brother, Gerard, and their mother Dorothy (they all used to live together), who reportedly was heard crying out "This is so unfair! This is so unfair!" after the sentence was handed down.
