A deputy New York City mayor is expected to resume testimony at a corruption trial over upstate construction projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars, including some that are part of the Buffalo Billion.
Among the remaining defendants is Alain Kaloyeros, the former head of the SUNY Polytechnic Institute; Louis Ciminelli, the former head of Buffalo-based contractor LPCiminelli; and Steven Aiello and Joseph Girardi, executives with Syracuse-based COR Development.
Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan was formerly chairman of the nonprofit entity that Kaloyeros is accused of cheating with alleged bid rigging.
Several defense lawyers said during opening statements that all four defendants had no criminal intent and that no wrongdoing occurred in bidding for the contracts.
This is a sequel of sorts to the trial that ended earlier this year with the conviction of Joseph Percoco, the former top aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, on bribery and fraud charges. Cuomo was not accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
The Buffalo Billion program was first pitched by Cuomo in 2012, and offered a billion dollars in government money to projects in Buffalo, including the massive Tesla GigaFactory project.
Kevin Schuler, a former LPCiminelli executive, reached a plea deal in May, changing the complexion of the case. Another LPCiminelli executive, Michael Laipple, had all his charges dropped.