Mangano Returns to Work Day After Federal Corruption Indictment

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano is back at his office Friday just one day after being arrested on federal corruption charges.

Mangano, who faced a 13-count indictment alongside his wife Linda Mangano and Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor, said at a press conference Thursday that he has no plans to step down and called the charges “nonsense.”

The charges center around the high-ranking elected officials accepting bribes and kickbacks from a Long Island businessman Harendra Singh while Mangano's wife earned $450,000 from a “no-show” job at one of Singh’s restaurants, feds say.

Singh paid for several Mangano family vacations as well as expensive gifts, including $3,701.81 worth of hardwood flooring that was installed in the Manganos’ bedroom, feds say.

Mangano spoke to reporters around 9 a.m. Friday outside his Mineola office. “Going to work,” he told Newsday.

“I’m confident I conducted myself properly,” the county executive told News12 during a sit-down interview inside his office.

“I’m going to continue to govern, go to work,” Mangano said Thursday at his press conference. “America is the greatest country in the world, and you will all have the opportunity to hear everything and decide for yourselves.”

Mangano said Singh is a 25-year-old friend and is like a family member to him and his wife.

Hours after the Manganos and Venditto were arrested on federal corruption charges, local leaders were already calling on the elected officials to step down from their positions.

Nassau GOP candidates held a press conference Thursday afternoon and echoed the statement that Ed Mangano and Venditto should resign.

Nassau County District Attorney Madeline requested for the "immediate action to drain this cesspool of corruption and restore confidence in the integrity of our government.” The DA said they are limiting comments on the officials due to the ongoing investigation and pending prosecution.

Mangano, 54, of Bethpage, has been county executive since January 2010 and Venditto, 67, of North Massapequa, has served his position since January 1998. They each face a long prison sentence if convicted of the top charges.

Mangano’s attorney Brian Griffin, said his client plans to “vigorously” defend the charges, according to the New York Post.

Things have gone downhill for Mangano over the past month. On Oct. 8, Mangano was named “Man of the Year” by St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Long Island Chapter.

Venditto has made no public comment on whether he will step down from his position.

All three pleaded not guilty Thursday and were each released on $500,000 bond, posting their homes as collateral, the Post reports.

File photo