AG Cuomo Accuses Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada Of `Looting' Clinic

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a civil complaint against Senate Majority Leader Pedro Espada, CBS 2 HD has learned. 

Cuomo is trying to remove Espada as head of his Bronx health clinic for allegedly using the firm as his personal piggy bank, reportedly pulling out over $10 million over the past several years.

It was just a year ago that the Bronx Democrat put on an orange ski hat to hide from CBS 2's Marcia Kramer when the political reporter caught him outside the $700,000 home in Mamaroneck where he has lived since the 90s. 

Espada laughed in her face when she asked him why he wasn't living in his Bronx district. 

But he probably isn't laughing now. Cuomo is suing Espada, accusing the fellow Democrat of siphoning $14 million from his government-funded Bronx clinic. 

Nineteen current and former officials of Espada's Comprehensive Community Development Corp. -- known locally as Soundview -- are also named in the lawsuit. 

Cuomo says Espada diverted charitable assets to himself, relatives, friends and for his political operation. 

As CBS 2 first reported last June, Espada has allegedly failed to report significant amounts spent on political campaigns, like for five glossy campaign mailings. Experts say mailings could cost as much as $20,000 each. 

There was no immediate comment from Espada, who had called Cuomo's investigation a 'witch hunt' to boost the attorney general's political career. 

Espada is the freshman senator who was instrumental in the coup that gridlocked the chamber last summer. 

CBS 2