A prime aide to Mayor Zohran Mamdani is going through questions over what he knew a few infamous rape case towards a robust Democratic Occasion insider who grew to become a intercourse offender.
Lawyer Carrie Goldberg mentioned she desires to grill Mamdani’s First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan associated to her claims by her consumer Elizabeth Crothers that she was sexually assaulted by then-state Meeting Speaker Sheldon Silver’s chief authorized counsel in 2001.
Fuleihan was working for Silver and Meeting Democrats on the time of the alleged assault by counsel Michael Boxley — and through an alleged “smear marketing campaign” that adopted towards her consumer, the lawyer mentioned.
“First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan was a prime funds aide to Meeting Speaker Sheldon Silver through the related interval. I’m inquisitive about understanding his recollection from that point,” Goldberg mentioned.
“Silver ran a really tight workplace,” the lawyer added. “Anybody who managed Silver’s funds has a whole lot of perception. A smear marketing campaign was waged towards Elizabeth Crothers. I’d wish to know what Dean is aware of about this.”
Goldberg mentioned Fuleihan, who handed funds for the Meeting, may have been concerned in technique classes over find out how to deal with the explosive in-house investigation of the rape case, together with discussing whether or not or to not provide a payout to the alleged sufferer.
Crothers filed a negligence lawsuit three years in the past, when the Grownup Survivors Act opened a short lived window that suspended the statute of limitations and allowed alleged victims to file sexual assault lawsuits within the Empire State.
Goldberg mentioned the alleged assault and retaliation got here years earlier than the #MeToo motion cracked down on highly effective males getting away with sexual abuse and harassment.
“I wish to know if Dean Fuleihan, in his capability as first deputy mayor, believes Elizabeth Crothers’ case can be handled in another way. How would it not have been dealt with in a 2026 administration?” Goldberg mentioned.
Boxley has denied sexually abusing Crothers however he did plead responsible in December 2003 to 1 depend of sexual misconduct after one other Meeting staffer, Rikki Shaw, accused him of sexually assaulting her.
He finally acquired a sentence of six years of probation, a $1,000 positive and was required to register as a intercourse offender.
Shaw filed a prison case towards Boxley as “Jane Doe” however she recognized herself final October when she filed an affidavit within the civil lawsuit introduced towards the state by Crothers, who had accused Boxley of rape earlier than Shaw.
Shaw agreed that Fuleihan needs to be questioned about what he is aware of.
“Fuleihan would know if there was a method to silence Elizabeth and what that was,” Shaw informed The Publish. “If Fuleihan was in control of the cash, he would know what was occurring.”
However Fuleihan, by means of a Metropolis Corridor spokesperson, mentioned he had “no involvement” in dealing with the Crothers criticism towards Boxley.
“As Secretary of the Methods and Means Committee and Secretary to the Speaker for Program and Coverage within the State Meeting, First Deputy Mayor Dean Fuleihan had no involvement within the dealing with of those allegations or in any settlement discussions associated to this matter,” Mamdani spokesperson Dora Pekec mentioned.
“Our administration has zero tolerance for sexual harassment and sexual assault. We take each allegation critically, and we’ll proceed to help survivors and be certain that anybody looking for justice has the help they want.”
Fuleihan is just not accused of any wrongdoing, and he was not requested to offer a deposition or assertion through the discovery section of the case.
State Courtroom of Claims Decide Ramon Rivera issued an order refusing to toss the foremost claims in Crothers’ lawsuit that alleges sexual harassment and hostile work setting, together with retaliation.
The choose dismissed different claims, together with negligence associated to the state Meeting’s coaching and supervision on the time of the incident.
