Politically-wired Bronx County Clerk Luis Diaz was convicted Wednesday — after a nearly two-year criminal probe — for engaging in a mob-tied corruption scam, state Attorney General Letitia James announced.
Diaz, 69, a former state assemblyman, pleaded guilty and was sentenced for submitting false information in support of a criminal defendant, Thomas Poli, an alleged associate of the Genovese crime family, the attorney general said.
Diaz, who had deep ties to the Bronx Democratic Party establishment, knowingly defrauded the court by claiming that Poli fulfilled a community service requirement as part of a criminal charge — in exchange for money.
James — whose devastating investigative report released last year found then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed or mistreated multiple women and forced his resignation — said she will fight corruption at all levels of government.
“When we take our oath of office as public servants, we make a promise to our constituents to lead with integrity and uphold the laws of the great state of New York,” James said.
“Mr. Diaz violated that pledge, along with the sanctity of the same county court system he represents. Let this be a warning: we have zero tolerance for public servants who abuse public trust, and we will root out corruption in any and every form in New York.”
As The Post first reported, Diaz was suspended from his clerk’s post in October 2020 amid the AG’s criminal probe.
The Post later learned that Diaz had been moonlighting as a paid consultant for Aguila Inc., a homeless service provider, for six years.
Diaz, who made $210,900 as the county clerk or the court’s chief record keeper, was paid between $20,000 and $60,000 a year by Aguila from 2013 to 2019, records show.
Thomas Pol was a contractor for Aguila.
In order to satisfy the conditions of a plea in a 2019 criminal charge, Poli asked that Diaz draft and submit a letter to the court stating that Poli performed volunteer work for Aguila.
As it turns out, Poli did not perform any community service for the organization and instead was paid by Aguila for vending, storage and furniture contracts.
In April 2022, Poli was charged with racketeering conspiracy for his role in illegal gambling and related extortions in connection with the Genovese crime family following a joint investigation by the AG’s Office, the Manhattan U.S Attorney’s Office and Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
Poli was sentenced in 2019 for a prior, unrelated matter.
Diaz pleaded guilty before Bronx County Supreme Court Judge Poust Lopez Wednesday to one count of offering a false Instrument for filing in the First Degree, a class E felony.
He is barred from ever holding public office or working for nonprofit organizations registered in New York state.
Diaz also must complete 100 hours of community service.
As part of his plea, Diaz received a three-year conditional discharge, assuming he doesn’t get rearrested.
The appointment of county clerk is considered one of the biggest patronage plumbs in politics, made by judges in concert with Democratic Party leaders.