N.Y. Politician Funneled Government Money Into Charity Run by Wife

In yet another twist in the ongoing probe by New York’s Department of Investigation and the city’s U.S. attorney, a Brooklyn, N.Y., city councilman has been found to have funneled more than $180,000 of taxpayer money into a small nonprofit organization run by his wife, reports the New York Daily News.

The councilman, Erik Dilan, was the only sponsor of “discretionary” city funds for the North Brooklyn Community Council, a nonprofit organization that began as a youth football group but has expanded through the use of government money. Mr. Dilan’s wife, Jannitza Luna, has been executive director of the group since at least 2005, according to tax records the newspaper obtained.

While all city council members in Mr. Dilan’s borough are allowed a certain amount of discretionary money to use for pet projects in their districts, there is concern that Mr. Dilan’s use of the money was improper and constituted a conflict of interest.

Mr. Dilan told the newspaper that no one on the council objected when he disclosed the possible conflict, but the newspaper claims that a letter sent to the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board does not clearly describe details of the arrangement.