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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

State Sen. Carl Kruger is expected to plead guilty to Corruption Charges

State Sen. Carl Kruger, left, and attorney Benjamin Bronfman, at Federal Court in Manhattan

is expected to plead guilty Tuesday to federal charges stemming from a probe into a bribery scheme — and the deal brokered with prosecutors would end his days in Albany, sources said.

The plea deal was thought to involve four counts, at least one of which is a felony, meaning that under state law the Brooklyn Democrat would have to immediately give up his seat, multiple sources said.

“Part of the deal will require his resignation,” one source said.

Reached on his cell phone Monday night, Kruger said, “I’m busy now, thank you very much” — and then hung up.

Kruger, who has been in office since 1994, was hit with a 53-page criminal complaint that portrays him as a crook who sold his office to bankroll a lavish life-style. His trial was due to start on Jan. 17.

The federal probe into Kruger’s alleged pay-to-play misdeeds led to the arrest of the man prosecutors called his “intimate associate,” Manhattan gynecologist Michael Turano.

Turano, who was charged with helping Kruger launder ill-gotten gains through a series of shell companies, is expected to also plead guilty Tuesday in Manhattan Federal Court, the sources said.

Kruger’s lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Kruger was indicted in March on charges he did political favors in return for more than a dozen bribes, totalling more than $690,000.

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