Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Brooklyn Assemblyman Found Guilty Of Bribery, Mail Fraud, Extortion
By
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Mar 6, 2014
Modified Mar 6, 2014
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
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Published Mar 6, 2014
Modified Mar 6, 2014
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
Brooklyn Assemblyman William Boyland, Jr. has been found guilty on corruption charges in federal court in downtown Brooklyn today, and now faces up to 30 years in prison after taking numerous bribes from FBI agents posing as developers.
Boyland, 43, a four-term assemblyman who represented the Brownsville section of Brooklyn and came from a prominent political family, faced similar corruption cases in 2011, but beat the charges. Fittingly enough, this current corruption case arose out of a $7,000 bribe he took to help pay his defense fees during the 2011 corruption trial. His desperation then made him an easy target for undercover FBI agents, who posed as unscrupulous businessmen looking to win his favor on development deals and were all too willing to pay for his legal fees instead.
"I have a bag man," Boyland bragged to the undercover agents.
But having Boyland on tape soliciting bribes was not enough for the prosecution, who flipped Boyland's lover and chief of staff Ry-Ann Hermon after indicting them both, and getting Hermon to testify against Boyland. Hermon testified how Boyland used funds from a nonprofit he controlled to pay for campaign materials, block parties, and boat cruises. Damn, it feels good to be an Assemblyman.
Boyland and his staff have a long history of corruption and shoddy sense of civic duty. In 2011, after taking a payoff from an undercover FBI agent, chief-of-staff Hermon said on a taped recording, "Oh my God! You just, like, made me hot!" And also in 2011, Boyland was found out to have spent most of his time in legislative session playing the Facebook game CityVille.
Boyland joined the Assembly in a special election in 2003. His father and uncle had previously served in the assembly and his sister, Tracy Boyland, is a former City Councilwoman. This, however, might mark the end of the political dynasty.
Tagged
brooklyn
corruption
state assembly
William Boyland Jr.
Max Rivlin-Nadler
Max Rivlin-Nadler has been a contributor to Gothamist since 2013. He has also reported for the New York Times, NPR, and The Intercept. His years-long investigation into New York City's arcane civil forfeiture laws led to a series of reforms which altered a practice that had been taking millions from poor communities for decades. Recently, he brought back a surfing habit from a few years on the west coast, and would love to see you all out in the Rockaways.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot by ICE in NYC's Marble Hill said federal officers never identified themselves
The wounded man said he didn't learn ICE agents were involved until he woke up in the hospital.
By
Arya Sundaram
and
Samantha Max
Published Oct 14, 2026 at 5:26 p.m. ET
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
Kyle Taylor, a dean at Mott Bridges Academy, says he made a legal bus transfer.
By
Carol Chen
News
Brooklyn school dean says MTA officers assaulted him over a $3 bus fare he says he paid
Kyle Taylor, a dean at Mott Bridges Academy, says he made a legal bus transfer.
By
Carol Chen
National Grid customers in NYC will see higher gas bills this winter
By
Rosemary Misdary
Bruce Blakeman joins Gov. Hochul in support for expanding NY rape law
By
Jon Campbell
2 men accused of stabbing off-duty NYPD detective in the Bronx plead not guilty
By
Charles Lane
and
Brittany Kriegstein
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 .