IT’S PERCOCO-NUTS!
Witness’ scam-bid ’fess could imperil feds’ case
The prosecution’s star witness against Joseph Percoco stayed in a pricey Manhattan hotel while meeting with the feds to hammer out his cooperation deal — then tried scamming his way out of the bill, he admitted Thursday.
Todd Howe’s stunning — and potentially disastrous — testimony came on the second day of his blistering cross-examination at the corruption trial of Gov. Cuomo’s former top aide, who Howe claims to have helped obtain $300,000 in bribes.
Howe said he canceled a charge for an Oct. 26, 2016, stay at the Waldorf Astoria amid a series of nine sit-downs with authorities investigating Percoco’s alleged “pay-toplay” scheme involving companies doing business with the state.
“A month or so after you signed this agreement, you called your credit card company and you lied to your credit card company about staying at the Waldorf, the very night that you had come to New York to see the government?” asked defense lawyer Daniel Gitner, who represents co-defendant Peter Galbraith Kelly. “Correct,” Howe answered. The former lobbyist also conceded the questioning in Manhattan federal court forced him to realize he’d violated the terms of his co- operation agreement with the feds.
“Do you think they are going to rip it up?” Gitner asked. “I sure hope not,” Howe said. Gitner noted Howe had already received a “stern talking-to” for diverting tens of thousands of dollars from an escrow account to pay off debts.
Under his deal, prosecutors agreed to seek leniency for Howe when he’s sentenced for eight felonies — but only if he told them about all his misdeeds and didn’t commit more.
A spokesman for interim Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey Berman declined to comment.
During questioning, Howe also described scams he pulled off involving luxury autos and rental cars.
In one, he admitted driving a BMW for four months in 2009 despite giving the dealer only two checks on which he stopped payment.
He said he wasn’t sure if the cops charged him but admitted “it looks as though” a trial was scheduled, adding, “I don’t know that I went to it.”
Howe also admitted checking “No” on a disability-insurance form that asked if he had any felony convictions, even though he pleaded guilty to bank fraud in 2010.
During a break, Judge Valerie Caproni urged Gitner to move on, saying, “The jury is well aware that Mr. Howe is not a good guy.”
“Why your clients got in bed with him is beyond me,” she added.