New York State Senate Majority Leader · New York State Senate
New York's Senate Majority Leader used his official power to pressure companies seeking state approvals into hiring and paying his son — converting legislative authority into a family income stream.
A legislative official converted governmental power into family income by requiring companies seeking official assistance to compensate his son — placing himself in a financial relationship with the very parties he was governing.
Dean Skelos served as New York State Senate Majority Leader, one of the most powerful positions in state government. According to his 2018 federal conviction on bribery, extortion, and conspiracy charges, Skelos pressured companies doing business with New York State — including a real estate developer, a medical malpractice insurance company, and an environmental technology firm — to hire or make payments to his son, Adam Skelos, in exchange for Skelos's use of his official position to benefit those companies. Adam Skelos performed little or no work in exchange for payments that totaled over $300,000.
As Senate Majority Leader, Skelos controlled the legislative agenda and had significant influence over whether bills and regulatory decisions favorable to specific industries and companies advanced or stalled.
According to court findings, Skelos leveraged this authority by directing companies with legislative and regulatory needs to employ or pay his son Adam.
Adam Skelos received payments from a real estate developer seeking favorable zoning, from a medical malpractice insurer seeking favorable legislation, and from an environmental firm — in each case for work prosecutors characterized as minimal or performed at the direction of his father.
Dean Skelos admitted awareness of the payments and was found to have used his official position to benefit the payers.
A legislative official converted governmental power into family income by requiring companies seeking official assistance to compensate his son — placing himself in a financial relationship with the very parties he was governing.
When family members of government officials receive employment or compensation from parties actively seeking government approvals or contracts, the relationship constitutes a potential conflict regardless of whether the official directly received payment. Reviewing the employment and business relationships of immediate family members is a critical part of public-sector conflict-of-interest compliance.
ConflictCheck does not claim it would have definitively prevented any specific historical fraud. The purpose of this section is to illustrate the type of relationship conflict present in each case and how structured disclosure processes address that category of risk.
Skelos was first convicted in 2015. After a Supreme Court ruling narrowed bribery definitions, his conviction was vacated and he was retried. He was re-convicted in 2018 and sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in federal prison.
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