Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Former Prosecutor Is Being Paid $450,000 For Review Of The Buffalo Billion Project

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's administration is paying a former federal prosecutor up to $450,000 for an internal review of the Buffalo Billion project, Cuomo's effort to revitalize the state's second largest city.

The Democratic governor's office on Friday released its contract with Bart Schwartz and his assistants. Schwartz was retained in April after Cuomo learned that two former aides were being investigated by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara's office for possible conflicts of interest connected to the Buffalo Billion.

Schwartz once led the U.S. attorney's criminal division in Manhattan.

Bharara's office is focusing on Joe Percoco, Cuomo's former executive secretary and campaign manager, and Todd Howe, a lobbyist who worked for Cuomo in the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Cuomo has said any wrongdoing will not be tolerated.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.