LEGISLATIVE · NY · 1976-2015

Sheldon Silver

State Senator · Senate · Democrat · New York

NOTABLE

On the record

Silver consults for / collects $4M in referral fees from Weitz & Luxenberg asbestos-mesothelioma law firm + Glenwood Management multifamily-real-estate interests while serving as NY Assembly Speaker — basis of 2015 federal honest-services-fraud conviction (12-year sentence; retried 2018; conviction stood). Former NY Assembly Speaker 1994-2015; convicted 2015 + 2018 of honest-services fraud; 6.5-year federal sentence; died 2022 in prison

SEVERITY · FELONY · CRIMES · fraud

Background

Sheldon Silver (1944–2022) was Speaker of the NY State Assembly 1994-2015 — 21 years. Convicted Nov 30 2015 + again Nov 19 2018 (after appellate reversal + retrial) on 7 federal honest-services-fraud + extortion counts; sentenced to 6.5 years federal prison. Died in custody Jan 24 2022 at FMC Devens. Case fundamentally reshaped public-corruption prosecutorial doctrine — McDonnell v. United States (2016, U.S. Sup Ct) narrowed "official act" definition during Silver's appeal.

Curated bio from Officium's editorial pass.