Francis Cardinell, Perjury, New York 2023

Perjury Probe Yields Guilty Plea in George Moses Case

Rochester, NY – In a shocking turn of events, Francis Cardinell, 77, of Penfield, NY, pleaded guilty to perjury for lying under oath in the George Moses investigation.

According to court records, Cardinell, owner of Akwasasne Construction, a general contracting firm in Rochester, was interviewed as a witness in connection with the investigation in April 2019. When asked about a $63,000 contract for boiler work to be performed by his company at the Rochester Housing Charities, Cardinell advised that he paid a cumulative amount of more than $20,000 in cash to George Moses, former chairman of the board of the Rochester Housing Authority, as kickbacks related to this contract.

Cardinell also stated that he gave Moses $14,000 in cash out of a payment of $28,000; $7,500 in cash out of a payment of approximately $18,000; and another $3,500 in cash out of an $8,000 payment he received, for a total of approximately $25,000 in kickbacks. However, during the federal trial of George Moses, while under oath on the witness stand, Cardinell testified on cross-examination that he had lied about the kickback scheme and that he never made payments to George Moses in exchange for contracts for his company.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christina D. Scaringi, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Thomas Fattorusso, Special Agent-in-Charge.

Cardinell faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.

The case against Cardinell is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into corruption at the Rochester Housing Authority. As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen whether other individuals will be charged in connection with the scandal.

Francis Cardinell, 77, of Penfield, NY, pleaded guilty to perjury by materially inconsistent statements, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The investigation into George Moses began in 2019 and resulted in his conviction and sentencing to serve 78 months in prison for defrauding three organizations, including the Rochester Housing Charities.

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