A former chief of staff and campaign treasurer for state Assemblyman Felix Ortiz admitted Wednesday to using his boss’s campaign account as his own piggy bank — siphoning off $80,000 from the account over a seven-year period.
Maruf Alam, 29, pleaded guilty in Brooklyn federal court to wire fraud for stealing the money — a scam that he concealed by filing phony reports with the New York State Board of Elections, according to the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn.
“Alam was caught with his hand in the till, and now he must face the consequences,” US Attorney Richard Donoghue said in a news release. “Those who corrupt the political campaign contribution process to enrich themselves will be caught and prosecuted.”
Alam faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison when he comes back to court for sentencing.
Ortiz, a Democrat who was first elected in 1994 and represents portions of Sunset Park and Red Hook, denied that he authorized Alam to withdraw the funds when the staffer was arrested back in August.
Alam had worked in his office since 2007.



