An aide who worked on Nomiki Konst’s failed bid for public advocate has filed a complaint alleging Konst’s campaign paid $114,918 in taxpayer funds to a firm associated with her “on-again-off-again” boyfriend “for services largely not performed.”
“Not only does this violate the rules, it is fraud under the New York Penal law,” said Jason Coniglione’s complaint with the Campaign Finance Board.
Konst received $512,560 in public matching funds on Feb. 21 — five days the Feb. 26 special election. A total of $114,918 in Konst campaign funds went to pay a group called Deep South Political Consulting.
In total, 11 eligible candidates received $11.1 million in taxpayer funds for an office with a budget of about $3.5 million.
The complaint alleges that an influential Konst campaign adviser, her sometime boyfriend, Lonny Paris, is “associated” with Deep South.
Coniglione also said the documentation provided by the firm about robo-calls and live calls it supposedly performed was “suspicious” and he would not submit the documentation to the CFB.
Reports to Coniglione after the election indicated that only one van carrying 12 paid workers paid by Deep South showed up on one day — Election Day, the complaint said.
“All they did was hang up posters,” according to his complaint filed by his lawyer, Arthur Schwartz.
Konst received only 2.3 percent of the vote in the 17-candidate contest.
Konst is a lefty activist and TV pundit who promoted Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign.
Arthur Greig, an attorney for Konst, dismissed the complaint, claiming Coniglione tried to shake down Konst.
“These baseless allegations were made by a campaign aide who both sexually harassed Ms. Konst and attempted to extort Ms. Konst for money and a personal sexual relationship,’” Greig said in a statment.
“The campaign aide’s irrational behaviors have been delusional and physically threatening and we have notified the appropriate authorities and may pursue appropriate legal action if necessary.”
The Konst campaign also called Coniglione a “sexual predator” who had a “fatal attraction” for her.
Konst said, “Running for office as a woman is hard enough. I’ve stayed silent about the personal attacks I’ve received over the past few months from those who have slandered my character for their own personal and political gain – but my personal safety is now at risk.”
Coniglione dismissed Konst’s counter-accusations and stood by his complaint.