Bruno Conviction Overturned

New York, NY (WIBX) - A Federal Appeals Court has overturned the conviction of former State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.Bruno was convicted in 2009 of denying taxpayers honest services by concealing a deal with a business associate who paid him as a consultant.

The Wall Street Journal reports the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision after the U.S. Supreme Court last year ruled in the case of former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling.

The Supreme Court found that federal statutes used to fight white-collar and public official fraud only criminalize schemes with proof of bribes or kickbacks.