Harendra Singh provided 'substantial' help in Mangano prosecution, deserves shorter prison term, prosecutors say

Harendra Singh, the once-politically connected restaurateur turned government witness, should serve less than the 14 to 17½ years in prison prescribed for his crimes under federal sentencing guidelines, federal prosecutors said in newly released court documents, citing the “substantial assistance” he provided in prosecuting former Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano.

Singh, who confessed to bribing Mangano and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, is scheduled to be sentenced next week by U.S. District Judge Joan Azrack. He should also be on the hook for $22,824,082.54 in restitution, prosecutor Catherine Mirabile wrote. 

“Singh provided the government with substantial assistance over the course of several years, which included many debriefings, document review, trial preparation and trial testimony,” Mirabile said in a letter outlining Singh’s cooperation with the government, which did not offer a suggested sentence. “His testimony, in particular, strengthened the government’s case against the Manganos and provided valuable corroboration to other testimonial and documentary evidence. His testimony at trial was extensive, forthright and candid, and he was subject to vigorous cross-examination by experienced and prepared defense counsel.”

Singh’s “willing cooperation and testimony” are important factors “for the Court to consider in determining the appropriate sentence in this case,” Mirabile said.

Singh, of Laurel Hollow, who had a decadeslong friendship with Edward Mangano and his wife, Linda Mangano, was the star witness against the couple when they were convicted by a jury in 2019 on corruption charges. Mangano used his influence as county executive to sway Town of Oyster Bay officials into indirectly backing what amounted to $20 million in loans for Singh, who was also a town concessionaire, the jury found.

Singh testified that he bribed the county executive with free meals and vacations, two luxury chairs, hardwood flooring for the master bedroom in the couple’s Bethpage home, a $7,300 wristwatch for one of their sons and a $454,000 “no-show” job for Linda Mangano, who was convicted of lying to the FBI.

Edward Mangano, 61, is currently serving a 12-year sentence at a federal prison in Massachusetts. Linda Mangano, 60, who was released from prison just five months into her 15-month sentence, was released from house arrest on June 16 — two months earlier than the previously scheduled date of Aug. 12, according to the federal Bureau of Prisons.

Singh pleaded guilty as part of a cooperation agreement in 2016 to an eight-count indictment, including conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and honest services wire fraud related to the Town of Oyster Bay loan scheme and a nearly $1 million fraudulent claim to FEMA that the Water’s Edge, a Queens catering hall he owned, was damaged during Superstorm Sandy. He also pleaded guilty to obstructing and impeding the due administration of the Internal Revenue laws.

“We are thankful that the United States Attorney’s Office has acknowledged the enormous and unprecedented cooperation by Mr. Singh during the Mangano investigation and the subsequent two trials,” Singh’s attorney, Anthony La Pinta, said Tuesday. “I am hopeful that the court will similarly credit Mr. Singh and sentence him accordingly.”

In addition to bribing Mangano and de Blasio, who was not accused of any wrongdoing, Singh admitted bribing several other Oyster Bay Town officials, including former deputy town attorney Frederick Mei, who also pleaded guilty to corruption-related charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on the same day as Singh.

Singh gave Mei $70,000 in bribes between 2010 and 2012, according to prosecutors, to ensure that the town guaranteed Singh’s loans. Singh also paid Mei’s lease for his BMW and for several vacations, including to South Korea.

Mei also testified against the Manganos and dubbed the pay-to-play culture in the town government “the Oyster Bay way.”

The prosecution, in the 5k letter indicating Singh's cooperation, even credited Singh, albeit indirectly, for playing a role in preventing government corruption in the future.

“It should also be noted that the government’s investigation and prosecution, assisted by Singh and others, has also led to improvements in both County and Town government,” Mirabile said. “While small steps forward, and each nonetheless subject to and mired in politics, both Nassau County and the TOB have created and appointed Inspector Generals, who review various vendor contracts.”

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.