Political Boss, 5 More Indicted in N.Y. Scandal

A grand jury indicted the Bronx Democratic boss and five others today on charges of bribing city officials, including one who has since killed himself, bringing to 11 the number of people charged in a scandal rocking Mayor Edward Koch’s administration.

The scandal--labled a “confidence game” by a city prosecutor--involves the most serious allegations of corruption in New York City since the administration of Jimmy Walker 50 years ago.

Dist. Atty. Robert Morgenthau charged in the indictment that party boss Stanley Friedman--the most powerful politician yet charged in the scandal--bribed officials to get the city Parking Violations Bureau to buy a lucrative contract with Citisource Inc.

Friedman, as a Citisource director, was charged with giving former Queens Borough President Donald Manes and Parking Violations Bureau Deputy Director Geoffrey Lindenauer stock worth $500,000 to push through the contract.

Manes killed himself on March 13 with a knife thrust through the heart and, though never charged, was at the center of the scandal before he killed himself.

“The crime perpetrated here was a fancy version of the kind of confidence swindle indulged in by a common thief,” Morgenthau said in announcing the 27-count indictment.

Koch then called a news conference and angrily said that Manes is not off the hook, saying the city would sue to recover the money paid to Citisource and that the city would seek at least $250,000 from Manes’ estate.

Koch also said he would turn over to the city any campaign contributions made to his recent reelection campaign from Citisource and other indicted people.