Former cab medallion lender Alan Kaufman, the one-time chief executive of Melrose Credit Union, was found guilty on federal charges for bribing a federal institution officer. Prosecutors alleged Kaufman accepted gifts from a former taxi fleet president in return for personally approving $80 million in loans at favorable rates.
While the the taxi big wig was found guilty of the most serious charges—two counts of bribery each carry a maximum 30 years prison sentence—Kaufman was found not guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bribery of a financial institution officer.
Kaufman was accused of living rent-free in a house owned by Tony Georgiton, the former president of a Queens-based taxi fleet, who became Kaufman’s friend and client. The government argued that Kaufman directed Melrose to pay $2 million for naming rights to Georgiton’s event space Astoria Ballroom.