Pol widow pleads for Shel $liver
Seeks control of estate to sell assets
The widow of late state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver claims she’s so concerned about the current economic crisis that she’s seeking court approval to begin selling off assets from her disgraced hubby’s multimillion-dollar estate before they plummet in value.
Rosa Silver, 76, is petitioning the Surrogate’s Court in Manhattan to be named “temporary administrator” of an estate estimated to be worth $2.675 million, because the onetime Democratic power broker died in federal custody in January at the age of 77 without leaving a will, according to court filings.
“Due to market volatility at this time, the petitioner would like to sell the assets of the estate as soon as possible,” wrote her lawyer, Elizabeth Forspan, in the legal papers, filed in May. “The petitioner is concerned that the value of the assets may be significantly reduced during the lengthy administration proceedings.”
One city Democratic operative said Rosa Silver is a “widow who needs the dough.”
“The feds have taken their share, and she wants to take care of her family,” the source said.
After a yearslong legal battle to try avoiding jail time, Silver in July 2020 was sentenced to 6 1/2 years behind bars for selling his office for $4 million in a long-running kickback scheme. He also was ordered to pay $1 million in restitution.
Rosa also wants the temporary designation so she can ask the Internal Revenue Service for a “private letter ruling regarding the taxation” of her late husband’s retirement assets, her lawyer wrote.
Forspan declined to comment.
Anne Bederka, a Manhattan-based lawyer specializing in Surrogate’s Court proceedings, said the IRS request likely means Rosa has a “question concerning the taxability” her husband’s retirement assets.
“I don’t know why you’d need that immediately,” said Bederka, who is not involved in the estate.
The Silvers’ four children filed sworn statements saying they support their mother calling the shots. Recent legal filings also show Silver’s funeral arrangements totaled $9,136 and were paid.
For nearly 25 years, Silver was one of the infamous “three men in a room,” including the governor and Senate leader, who essentially controlled state government.
The Lower East Side pol wielded significant influence over politics in New York, blocking many initiatives, such as the Jets’ plan to build a Manhattan football stadium and congestion pricing.
However, everything changed in 2015, when the Manhattan Democrat resigned shortly after being arrested on federal extortion, wire fraud and mail fraud charges for running a series of corrupt kickback schemes.
He was convicted of all charges in November 2015 and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but the conviction was tossed out by an appeals court.
He was convicted again of similar charges in 2018, but part of that conviction was also overturned by an appellate panel.
At the time of his 2015 arrest, the feds seized $3.8 million Silver then had spread out in six banks. His wife’s filings don’t itemize his current assets.