Choking back tears as he confessed to corruption charges, an emotional State Sen. Carl Kruger pleaded guilty today to four criminal counts that included bribery and influence peddling.
The 62-year-old Brooklyn lawmaker, who also resigned from office today, unfairly helped a developer, a lobbyist and two hospital executives as part of the massive bribery scheme, federal prosecutors said.
READ KRUGER’S SENATE RESIGNATION LETTER
With his voice cracking at times, Kruger wiped away tears as he entered a guilty plea before a Manhattan federal court judge.
“I apologize if I’m a little emotional over this,” he said.
Kruger added, “I accept responsibility for my actions and I’m truly sorry for my conduct.”
By entering a guilty plea, Kruger would automatically be expelled from the state Senate, where he’s served since 1994.
Kruger resigned from office earlier today ahead of his plea deal, his lawyers said.
Kruger will be sentenced on April 26. He faces 108 to 135 months behind bars.
Kruger was busted earlier this year in a five-year “pay-to-play” scheme in which he allegedly pocketed more than $1 million in payoffs for peddling influence in Albany.
Court papers said he sponsored legislation, attempted to allocate millions in pork-barrel funds and even wrote a letter to a federal judge in Buffalo in exchange for a “stream of bribes” from real estate, hospital and beverage-industry interests.
In March, Kruger and his secret longtime companion, Manhattan gynecologist Michael Turano, were among eight men arrested in a sweeping government corruption scandal.
Turano, 50, is accused of using bribe money he deposited in two shell companies for Kruger to pay the lease on a Bentley luxury sedan, credit card bills and the mortgage on the garish, multimillion-dollar Mill Basin home where the two men for years have shacked up with Turano’s mom and brother, authorities and neighbors said.
A weepy Turano also pleaded guilty to one count and now faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison.
Turano wept as he addressed the judge, while Kruger looked pained and covered eyes with one hand.
He will also be sentenced April 26.
In a criminal complaint written by FBI Special Agent Julie Brown said, “Kruger acted — and was treated in many ways — like a member of the Turano family, and Kruger effectively functioned as a member of their household.
“Kruger went shopping for the Turano family, for example buying light bulbs for the Turano residence, travel-sized snacks for them when they traveled, and stockings for the Turano mother” — Dorothy Turano, the district manager of Community Board 18 — the complaint said.