New York official was bribed and let chicken contaminated with metal be served in school lunches, jury finds
A top official overseeing school lunches in New York City’s sprawling public school system took bribes and allowed dangerous chicken products contaminated with shards of metal and plastic to be served to children, a jury concluded on Wednesday. Eric Goldstein, who oversaw the city’s Office of Food and Nutrition Services, was convicted in a Brooklyn court of conspiracy, extortion, wire fraud, and taking bribes. Prosecutors said he was bribed with cash and an ownership stake in a food company by the owners of food supply company Somma – Blaine Iler, Michael Turley, Brian Twomey – in exchange for his cooperation facilitating lucrative contracts with the city. The trio of men were convicted of conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery. “Eric Goldstein was for sale,” prosecutor Laura Zuckerwise said in her closing statemnets. “And Michael Turley, Blaine Iler and Brian Twomey, they bought him.” Goldstein could face up to 20 years in prison, according to The New York Post. The former school official, who previously started a food company of his own alongside Turley, Iler, and Twomey called Range Meats Supply, helped fast-track Somma to get contracts supply nearly 2,000 schools in 2015, leading to a huge spike in demand and millions of dollars of food orders. “I’m going to buy a lot of f***ing chicken from you guys, let’s do the beef,” Goldstein allegedly told Iler at a 2015 meeting, according to prosecutors. By September of 2016, people were complaining that Somma chicken contained pieces of wire-like metal and plastic, according to school incident logs shown to jurors. The chicken caused people to bleed and in one case choke on a bone in a supposedly boneless dish, according to officials. As complaints mounted, Turley, Iler, and Twomey allegedly offered Goldstein ownership of Range Meats and $66,000. The trio also sent money to Goldstein’s divorce lawyer and took the school official on trips around the world. The group used the code name “Roger Rabbit” to refer to Goldstein, according to law enforcement. During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors emails between the now-convicted conspirators, and showed photos of one of the tainted drumsticks, which had a bright red liquid oozing out of it. A lawyer for Goldstein told The New York Times has was “extremely disappointed” and would appeal the verdict.
2023-07-01 01:20
Ohio redistricting case that raised controversial election law theory sent back by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday sent back to state court an Ohio redistricting case that raised the same, sweeping theory about the "Independent State Legislature" theory that the justices recently rejected in a case arising out of North Carolina.
2023-07-01 00:56
Prosecutors in Rep. George Santos' case say they have given his defense over 80K pages of material
Prosecutors U.S. Rep. George Santos' case say they’ve turned over more than 80,000 pages of materials to his lawyers in the federal criminal case against him
2023-07-01 00:54
Supreme Court to decide whether Second Amendment protects gun owners subject to domestic violence restraining orders
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to review a federal law that bars an individual subject to a domestic violence restraining order from possessing a firearm, adding a major Second Amendment case to next term's docket.
2023-07-01 00:51
Protests are sweeping France. Here's what you need to know
France has been rocked by a wave of protests after a 17-year-old youth was shot by police near Paris Tuesday, sparking a ban on demonstrations in some cities, travel warnings and reigniting a debate on overpolicing in marginalized communities.
2023-07-01 00:45
US Supreme Court won't scrutinize Mississippi curb on voting by felons
By John Kruzel WASHINGTON The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday turned away a bid by two Black Mississippians
2023-07-01 00:23
Transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney says Bud Light didn't support her during backlash
Transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney says she felt abandoned by Bud Light after facing “more bullying and transphobia than I could have ever imagined” over her partnership with the beer giant
2023-07-01 00:21
The Supreme Court will decide if some judges have gone too far in striking down gun restrictions
A year after its sweeping gun rights ruling, the Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether judges are going too far in striking down restrictions on firearms
2023-07-01 00:20
Brazil court moves toward barring Bolsonaro from politics
A Brazilian court on Friday reached the majority it needs to bar far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro from politics for eight years over unfounded...
2023-07-01 00:19
Versatile Oscar-winning American actor Alan Arkin dies at 89
By Will Dunham (Reuters) -Alan Arkin, a versatile and prolific American actor who thrived in both comic and dramatic roles
2023-07-01 00:17
U.S. Supreme Court won't weigh gender dysphoria's status under disability law
By John Kruzel WASHINGTON The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday turned away a dispute involving a transgender woman
2023-07-01 00:16
Boost for Wagner as Mali shuns UN troops, but at what cost?
As it pushes out 12,000 UN peacekeepers, Mali will be relying ever more heavily on Russian mercenaries.
2023-07-01 00:15