THE BRONX — The publicly-funded health clinic that ex-Senator Pedro Espada was convicted of stealing $500,000 from also paid for his million-dollar legal fees fighting the charges, the New York Post reported.
The Soundview Healthcare Network paid $1 million to $1.5 million to cover the disgraced former politician's lawyers, after the clinic's legal insurance company refused to cover him on the charges, according to the Post.
"Soundview has been paying for his criminal defense," a source told the Post.
Espada was convicted earlier this week in Brooklyn federal court of stealing $500,000 from the struggling healthcare clinic. The jury was deadlocked on four remaining tax-fraud charges. Federal prosecutors have hinted that they plan to re-try him on those charges.
Espada faces up to 40 years in prison.
Soundview Healthcare Network has had to turn away patients and is in danger of closure as it struggles with soaring insurance costs and salaries, among other costs.
"Soundview has not diverted any revenues toward Senator Espada's legal feels," Soundview spokeswoman Rachel Fasciani told the Post.
Espada declined comment, the Post reported.
