It just so happens that the news came down in the shadow of the Ides of March. Former Town of Ramapo Deputy Attorney and Executive Director of the Ramapo Local Development Corp. Aaron Troodler signed a plea agreement that involves testifying against his old boss, Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence, who also served as chair of the Ramapo LDC.
Bharara: N. Aaron Troodler defrauded Ramapo citizens & 1,000s of investors around the US, helping to sell muni bonds on false financials
— US Attorney SDNY (@SDNYnews) March 7, 2017
Plea deal: Troodler will testify against Ramapo’s St. Lawrence https://t.co/Cct8OsVVlm via @lohud
— Steve Lieberman (@LoHudLegal) March 9, 2017
F.B.I. agents, along with the Rockland County District Attorney’s office, converged on Ramapo Town Hall in mid-May 2013 as part of a corruption investigation into Ramapo finances. Ramapo Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing – his trial begins in April, 2017.
Troodler plead guilty Tuesday, March 8, to conspiracy and securities fraud in a corruption scheme related to Town of Ramapo finances that was rooted in the funding of the controversial town stadium that is now home to the Rockland Boulders. The Journal News writer Steve Lieberman reported that Troodler’s plea deal involved “truthfully and completely disclose all information with respect to the activities of himself and others concerning all matters.”
Michael Castelluccio of Preserve Ramapo, a grassroots community activist organization and political party that has aggravated any number of local politicians and groups, succinctly summed up Troodler’s co-operation in Lieberman’s article: “I hope his cooperation will be substantial and that it will help extinguish the dumpster fire still smoldering at Town Hall.”
The whole spreading stain of Ramapo corruption has dogged the supervisor’s office for years, and came to a head in the very public F.B.I. raid on Town Hall in mid-May 2013. As stated in a recent LoHud editorial that calls for St. Lawrence, Town of Ramapo “policies paved the way for the current overdevelopment that plagues eastern Ramapo. Amid the new set of scandals, and a growing awareness in all communities that Ramapo cannot sustain unbridled growth, his fortunes could change.
With Troodler’s plea, the screw turns against St. Lawrence, who has always contended that he not guilty of the charges against him. The Journal News published an editorial, complete with interactive video, recites numerous allegations against the policies and practices at Town Hall that have led to vocal divisions across the entire community, especially related to over-development.
Ramapo must move beyond St. Lawrence: Editorial https://t.co/tmiPnp2RdG via @lohud
— Steve Lieberman (@LoHudLegal) March 9, 2017
