Advocate calls for feds to probe de Blasio donor

A Brooklyn community advocate demanded a federal investigation into donations made to Mayor Bill de Blasio's election campaign Wednesday. Tony Herbert wants federal investigators to scrutinize donations

News 12 Staff

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Mar 30, 2016, 11:05 PM

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Updated 3,083 days ago

A Brooklyn community advocate demanded a federal investigation into donations made to Mayor Bill de Blasio's election campaign Wednesday.

Tony Herbert wants federal investigators to scrutinize donations made in 2013 by Isaac Leshinsky, the former head of a Flatbush-based nonprofit called Housing Bridge.

Herbert's request comes after a DNAinfo report that quoted sources saying that the state Attorney General was investigating Leshinsky for "alleged misuses of money from city contracts."

A source close to the investigation confirmed that the AG is investigating Leshinsky, but said the mayor is not part of that probe.

Herbert claims money paid to the nonprofit was a misappropriation of funds.

A spokesperson for Housing Bridge said the agency has secured more than $260 million in contracts for its homeless services.

Nicole Cueto, a spokeswoman from the city's Department of Homeless services, said the agency will try to recover money paid to Housing Bridge.

For its part, Housing Bridge said Leshinsky left the nonprofit last year and it has since restructured. It says it is cooperating with the AG's investigation.

De Blasio's office told News 12 that he would return the $2,500 donation made to his 2013 mayoral campaign.

The DNAinfo report also said that Leshinsky, a longtime friend to de Blasio, contributed to some of his other campaigns beginning in 2007.