Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
What Is Up With the Brooklyn DA's Office?
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 20, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 20, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
A year ago, the big news out of the Brooklyn DA's office was that an eight month old cat had helped sting a fake vet. And the DA Charles Hynes was able to parlay good will over the adorable Fred (the Detective) until Fred's death in August.
Now, over the course of just two days, there are two scandals brewing in Hynes' office. In the first, investigator Maria Bigani, a 15 year veteran in the Brooklyn DA's office, resigned after allegations that she was having an affair with a mob informant. The Post reported that Biagini was supposed to protect the informant during interviews about ex-FBI agent Lindley DeVecchi (who allegedly gave information to Colombo boss Gregory "The Grim Reaper" Scarpa).
However, Biagini fell for him enough to let him call his family and get cash from his family to throw parties - parties that Biagini attended. And then there's how Biagini may have "suggested a bizarre scheme to get him released to a fertility doctor, who would collect sperm that could be used to impregnate her." But of course it would difficult to release the informant to a fertility doctor, so Biagini planned to meet him at a dentist's office (!). Authorities are saying the informant had no information for the DeVecchio case, so who knows what will happen?
The second scandal involves an assistant district attorney and her defense attorney fiance. ADA Sandra Fernandez was suspended after her fiance Douglas Rankin cross-examined a prosecution witness with a little too much information. See, Rankin, a former prosecutor himself, confronted the witness with information about a pending case - something Rankin shouldn't have known about. The DA's office has only said that the investigation is with a special prosecutor, but the Post reports that Fernandez's number was erased from the internal system.
Hynes, you better plan another sting involving cute pets soon!
Tagged
brooklyn
brooklyn da
cat
charles hynes
death
District
district attorney
fbi
News: NYC
pets
The DA
the post
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .