AFEDERAL investiga tor who launched the probe into the potential bribery of several city lawmakers by Florida-based Correctional Services Corp. said he gave his findings to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office in the late 1990s – but nothing was done about it.
Stephen Grogan, until recently a decorated senior agent in charge of the Justice Department’s Inspector General’s Office, told The Post he’s shocked the pattern of corruption he discovered in the mid-1990s was allowed to continue for so long.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Grogan, 55, also said details of his findings – possible illegal activities by Brooklyn Democratic Assemblyman Roger Green and other city politicians – had been turned over to Brooklyn DA Charles “Joe” Hynes.
Grogan, who retired earlier this month after a distinguished 35-year career, said, “We wrapped up our investigation in the late 1990s, and I was shocked when I realized earlier this year that it was still going on and that other elected officials were involved.”
The state Board of Elections began an official probe of the CSC contributions last week, and other investigations also are under way.
Grogan, meanwhile, said he was stunned to learn earlier this year that Bronx Democratic Assemblywoman Gloria Davis had pleaded guilty to receiving a CSC bribe.
Then, he said, he was shocked again a few days later after The Post disclosed Green admitted to routinely receiving free chauffeur-driven transportation – even as CSC was seeking state contracts.
“It looked to me that the same stuff we had uncovered in the 1990s was happening again,” recalled Grogan.
Grogan led the investigation into CSC, which runs halfway houses for the federal government. He discovered the company routinely gave potentially illegal “in-kind” contributions to several Democratic politicians.
Investigators found CSC provided dozens of its federally funded employees, during their official working hours, to help politicians with campaigns, Grogan said.
The company also provided vans and automobiles to the politicians.
“The company told the workers that this is what they had to do in order [for CSC] to get contracts from the state,” Grogan recalled.
Grogan said he made earlier efforts to notify Hynes’ office about CSC’s Brooklyn activities. “They had the information, but I don’t know what happened to it,” he said.
Hynes insisted he didn’t know what Grogan was talking about.
“We’re not familiar with that information, and we’d like to have it and have a chance to talk to Grogan,” said Hynes spokesman, Jerry Schmetterer. “It is something we’re prepared to take a look at.”