Tuesday, January 20, 2009

EDC official accused of stealing

A city development official demanded kickbacks, throttled a business partner and misappropriated millions from a private condo project that his company built in Greenwich Village, a startling suit and court papers charge.

Alan Friedberg - a well-connected member of the city Economic Development Corp. who once sat on the MTA board - strong-armed friends and foes alike while getting the luxury building off the ground, the suit claims.

The Daily News recently spotted Friedberg improperly using a police-issued permit to park his $76,000 Jaguar in a Manhattan restricted zone.

He returned the permit - but the lawsuit may not be so easily resolved.


Filing alleges city development honcho asked kickbacks, strongarmed cohorts

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Richard Lowe has barred Friedberg from spending or transferring any money connected to the condominium project, legal papers show.

Lowe also predicted Friedberg and Paxton are likely to lose the ongoing case, which seeks to keep him from collecting a hefty developer's fee, court papers from the ongoing suit say.

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