Thomas Galante, embattled director of the Queens Library, is facing a criminal probe by the FBI, federal prosecutors and the city’s Department of Investigation, the Daily News has learned.
The first sign of the joint probe came Friday when agents for the FBI and DOI suddenly appeared at the Queens Central Library in Jamaica with subpoenas for both Galante and the library’s construction management consultant, Frank Marino, according to a library source.
Marino, owner of Advanced Consulting Corp. in Merrick, L.I., has received contracts to manage 15 Queens Library improvement projects since 2008.
The probe appears to center on how Galante — who received more than $390,000 in salary last year, plus a city-supplied $37,000 sports car — spent millions in taxpayer dollars on various library renovations, a second source said.
Representatives for both the FBI and DOI declined comment. And Queens library officials did not respond to repeated emails and phone calls from The News.
15 comments:
This guy looks and speaks like a thug. What a creep. We hope that Katz keeps the pressure on this investigation and makes sure that he gives back every penny he stole from the cash strapped library system.
Why stop here, make visits to every Jamaica local politician and the Queens Borough President's office as well.
If you are going to do it do it right.
With that pic he's definitely going to be indicted.
It's a trifecta. Of criminals.
The entire library board has to be looked at - with a revolving door of the real estate players in the borough something fishy is going on.
Perhaps Ms Katz can explain to the borough why groups like the library, Queens Council on the Arts, etc are almost exclusively the clubs of rich developers, shadowy banks and owners of mysterious businesses
- and where the presence of the disciplines they represent is only covered by one or so 'consultants' that have some knowledge in said areas.
The Daily News article shows also in the picture Helen Marshall and Peter Koo standing next to him.
The Public Advocate is also an ex officio member of the Queens Library's Board of Trustees, and although Mr. de Blasio apparently didn't take that role seriously, his successor, Tish James, has already gone on record as saying that either she or a senior member of her staff will attend the Board meetings. The walls are closing in on Mr. Galante.
Anonymous #4, I absolutely agree!
This is just the beginning but with social media we can accomplish more than in the past and shine the light on these crooks.
Great cartoon in today's Daily News by Bill Bramhall.
Helen Marshall was out if it for her 12 years as BP. Today she can claim Alzheimer's as her defense...and still collect her $150k annual pension....
We hope that Katz keeps the pressure on this investigation
HA HA HA!!!!!
Yes, that paradigm of virtue and integrity - Melinda Katz!!!
what does Jimmy VanBramer, Mr Libraries have to say about this
Katz is pressing them bigtime. Whatever Van Bramer's doing, he's keeping quiet about it.
There's more to this than meets the eye, something big will come of it, I'm sure.
ICE should be investigating the QBPL
"New Americans" program. It's a front for illegal immigrants to be given jobs at the Queens Boro Public Library instead of US citizens. Are there any Americans left working at QBPL? Start investigating the purchase of Chinese books and materials, then start with the same of the Russian and Somali materials.
Get rid of every single QBPL Board Members, wipe the slate clean and get new ones. Put a LIBRARIAN on the board for godsakes.
Did Galante even visit the Queens Libraries affected by Hurricane Sandy?
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