Former Aide To Gov. Cuomo Convicted In Bribery Case

NEW YORK (AP) — A former top aide to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been convicted of accepting bribes.

A jury delivered a verdict Tuesday in the trial of Joseph Percoco after deliberating for parts of three weeks.

It convicted Percoco on two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of soliciting bribes.

Jurors informed the court twice that they were deadlocked in the case against Percoco and three businessmen accused of bribing him.

U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni told the jury to keep deliberating.

Percoco was a longtime friend of the governor and the manager of his 2014 re-election campaign.

Defense lawyers said the payments were legitimate fees for consulting work performed when Percoco was out of state government.