Seabrook has his day in court
Former city jail-guard union boss Norman Seabrook pleaded not guilty Friday to bribery charges as the government announced it has collected wiretaps in three languages — English, Spanish and even Yiddish — to bolster its corruption case. The former president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association was ar- rested in June for allegedly directing some $20 million in union money to Platinum Partners, a hedge fund run by Murray Huberfeld, in exchange for a cut of the profits.
Seabrook (left Friday) and Huberfeld, who also pleaded not guilty, face a maximum of 40 years in prison if convicted.
Prosecutor Russell Capone said the government has collected wiretaps from four cellphones in three languages — as well as thousands of emails from Seabrook, Huberfeld and other co-conspirators.
One of the tapped phones belongs to real-estate investor Jona Rechnitz, who is expected to testify at trial that he handed Seabrook $60,000 in cash in a black Ferragamo bag at the direction of Huberfeld.