Brooklyn Assemblywoman Faces Jail Time For Wire Fraud: Feds

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A former Brooklyn Assemblywoman will be put behind bars for pocketing nearly $60,000 in public funds meant to go to Hurricane Sandy relief and a nonprofit for children, federal prosecutors announced.

Pamela Harris, who represented South Brooklyn, was sentenced Wednesday after she pleaded guilty in June to using the money for vacations and Victoria's Secret purchases, then coercing witnesses to lie to federal investigators.

A Brooklyn Federal Court sentenced her to six months in jail, 400 hours community service, a restitution of $70,400 and a forfeiture of $10,000, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney of New York's Eastern District.

Harris, 57, won her state Assembly seat through a special election in 2015 and served until she indicted on fraud charges in April.

Harris reported to FEMA that her Coney Island home was damaged during Hurricane Sandy and that she needed assistance to rent a temporary place in Staten Island from 2012 to 2014, prosecutors said.

Instead of moving, Harris remained on Coney Island, submitted fake rent receipts, then pocketed about $25,000, which she used to pay for clothes, vacations and her mortgage, authorities said.

Harris also used her position as a nonprofit executive director to charge City Council $22,800 for a studio space for the organization between 2014 to 2015, prosecutors said.

She filed a bogus lease agreement then deposited about $22,800 into her personal bank account, officials said.

Prosecutors slapped Harris with a 11-count indictment in January and she pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of making false statements to FEMA and one count of witness tampering to federal authorities on June 12.

Image: Pamela Harris is seen in a January 2016 video after taking office in the state Assembly. Image from nyassembly.gov