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Queens Assemblyman Anthony Seminerio (D-Richmond Hill) has been arrested on federal fraud charges. An FBI investigation of the 38th District Assemblyman’s consulting business found he took in more than a half million dollars since 2000 and ostensibly provided no consulting services to his clients. In fact, his clients were individuals in health care and other industries that did business with the state, received state funds, and had interests in influencing legislation.

Seminerio, a 30-year Albany veteran, is accused of “honest services mail fraud” in a complaint jointly unsealed Wednesday by US Attorneys and the FBI. According to Michael Garcia, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Mark Mershon, Assistant FBI Director, Seminerio took in more than $500,000 in corrupt payments made to a phony consulting company called Marc Consultants. Seminerio allegedly used his elected power and legislative influence to drive business to his company.

According to the federal complaint, “New York State elected officials owe a duty of honest services to the citizens of New York State. New York law makes it a crime for a member of the Assembly to receive payments of any kind for taking official action. Similarly, New York law imposes a duty on elected officials, including members of the Assembly, to avoid any business or professional engagements that are in substantial conflict with the proper discharge of the member’s official duties.”

Although state ethics laws require legislators to disclose sources of income in annual filings, the law allows the legislators to report income earned from a business “by the name of the entity, and not by the name of the individual customers, clients or tenants.”

Seminerio in fact reported the income from Marc Consultants in his filings, said Melissa Ryan, director of the New York State Legislative Ethics Commission. However, according to the complaint, Marc Consulting’s business address on bank records is the same as Seminerio’s home address, and the sole signatories on its checking account are the Assemblyman and his wife.

Marc Consultants did not turn up in a search of corporations registered with the Secretary of State.

The federal charges accuse Seminerio of defrauding the public of his honest services as a member of the Assembly by using the purported consulting firm to solicit and receive “consulting” payments from persons and entities having business in New York State. Seminerio in fact, did little or no consulting work and according to Garcia and Mershon’s statement, “he received more than $500,000 from various entities with business before the State, primarily in connection with his official position as a member of the Assembly, and for favorable treatment for those persons and entities in the Assembly and with New York State officials.”

The case against Seminerio was made through an undercover operation that included recorded meetings with a “cooperating witness.” In one session, Seminerio admitted to his “client” that he had started the consulting firm as a means of getting paid for his political favors.

“I was doing favors for these sons of bitches… They were making thousands,” he said. “Screw you, from now on, you know, I’m a consultant.’”

Seminerio also revealed that he got the idea for his consulting firm from two State Senators.

Seminerio has served in the State Assembly, representing Woodhaven, Ridgewood, Middle Village and Glendale, since 1978. He was approaching his 30th anniversary in elected office before the Feds caught him.

Prior to his election to the Assembly, Seminerio worked as a Corrections Officer with the New York City Department of Corrections.