Yahoo Movies Andrew Cuomo Facing Sex Crime Charge In Albany Court
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is facing a misdemeanor charge in Albany City Court related to the alleged groping of a former aide.
A copy of the complaint provided to HuffPost accuses Cuomo of “forcible touching,” a class A misdemeanor, for allegedly intentionally and forcibly placing his hand under the blouse of the accuser and onto her left breast.
The complaint says the encounter occurred at the governor’s Executive Mansion in Albany on the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2020.
“A misdemeanor complaint against former Governor Andrew Cuomo has been filed in Albany City Court,” New York state courts spokesman Lucian Chalfen said in an emailed statement. “As this is a sex crime, a redacted complaint will be available shortly.”
The charge itself faced a muddled introduction. Both the accuser and her attorney were unaware the summons had been issued or made public Thursday, with the Albany Times Union reporting the charge may have been filed “erroneously.”
The accuser’s lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The charge carries a penalty of up to one year in prison. According to The New York Times, a conviction hinges on the prosecutor’s ability to prove the defendant acted intentionally and with force, and that the contact was not accidental.
New York Focus, a statewide political news site, first broke the news.
Cuomo resigned in August after an investigation by New York state Attorney General Letitia James concluded he had sexually harassed multiple female employees and created a “hostile work environment for women.”
James welcomed the complaint Thursday as a confirmation of her office’s findings.
“From the moment my office received the referral to investigate allegations that former Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women, we proceeded without fear or favor,” she said in a statement. “The criminal charges brought today against Mr. Cuomo for forcible touching further validate the findings in our report.”
Cuomo denied any wrongdoing and claimed he never touched anyone inappropriately. Once it became clear the state legislature had enough support to impeach him, however, he announced his resignation.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
