G. Steven Pigeon, the longtime political operative who pleaded guilty to a state bribery charge last week is now expected to enter a guilty plea in his federal case.
WBFO independently confirmed that Pigeon is scheduled to appear before US District Judge Richard Arcara on Tuesday, October 9. At that time, he is anticipated to "change a plea."
He was indicted last year on bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy counts in a case mirroring state charges against him. Prosecutors allege Pigeon entered into a mutually beneficial relationship with then-State Supreme Court Justice John Michalek. According to investigators, Pigeon arranged jobs for members of Michalek's family in exchange for a lucrative court receivership position for one of Pigeon's associates, as well as access to confidential information in selected judicial cases.
Michalek subsequently pleaded guilty to accepting a bribe, stepped down from the bench and agreed to cooperate with investigators.
Last summer, when federal prosecutors announced their own indictment of Pigeon, attorney Paul Cambria suggested it was an "end run-around" by prosecutors who may have been concerned about the strength of the state case against his client.
On Friday, September 28, Pigeon entered a plea of guilty to one count of bribery in State Supreme Court and faces up to one year in prison when sentenced December 21.
Federal prosecutors had also charged Pigeon in May 2017 with attempting to arrange an improper donation to Governor Andrew Cuomo's 2014 re-election campaign but later dropped the case.
