As ex-Queens Councilman Dan Halloran finished his sixth and final day on the stand at his federal corruption trial Thursday prosecutors got him to admit that he took $10,000 in cash from an undercover FBI agent who he thought was a “sketchy” and “crooked” businessman.
Assistant US Attorney Douglas Bloom hammered Halloran, 42, over his relationship with “Raj,” an undercover FBI agent who posed as a politically connected developer in meetings with Halloran and state Sen. Malcolm Smith, who was also indicted in the alleged scheme.
“You think Raj is sketchy, right?” the White Plains prosecutor asked.
“Yes,” Halloran said.
“Yet you got into a car with him and took $10,000 in cash in an envelope, right?” Bloom followed up.
”Yes,” Halloran answered again.
The feds say Halloran, who is accused of taking the bribe money to help get Smith on the Republican ballot for mayor last election, took $20,500 in bribes in the scheme.
Halloran briefly lost his temper on the stand when Bloom questioned why he hadn’t yet turned over his phone records, which the feds subpoenaed last week.
“No, I never got a chance. I’m in the middle of this trial, I’m in the middle of moving, which you know, and I’ve been here every day from 9 to 3 for the past eight weeks,” an agitated Halloran whined.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday. Halloran faces up to 45 years behind bars if convicted.