Ex-Queens lawmaker’s corruption conviction reversed by appeals court

Former Councilmember Ruben Wills’ corruption conviction was reversed and upheld by New York’s Appeals Court. NYC Council Photo by William Alatriste

By David Brand

An ex-Queens councilmember found guilty of using public funds to pay his personal bills saw his corruption conviction reversed in a decision upheld by a New York appeals court last month.

Now he may be weighing a political comeback, Gothamist reported Wednesday.

Ruben Wills, a former councilmember in Southeast Queens’ District 28, went to prison in 2017 after a Queens jury convicted him of using public matching funds and money earmarked for a nonprofit to pay for personal expenses.

He was prosecuted by then-New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and convicted of third-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud and other offenses. In September 2020, a panel of Second Department justices reversed his conviction. That decision was upheld by the state’s Court of Appeals last month. 

The appellate judges ruled that former Queens Supreme Court Justice Ira Margulis barred certain witnesses from testifying in Wills defense.

Wills, the court wrote, was “deprived of his ‘right to present evidence by witnesses of [his] own choosing [which] is a fundamental ingredient of due process.’”

Ali Najmi, a defense attorney in Queens who followed the trial closely, said “Wills was completely railroaded at his trial.”

“Many people in the defense bar knew there was an appellate issue at that time,” Najmi said.

Wills is now considering a future run for public office, Gothamist reported.

His old seat is held by first-term Councilmember Adrienne Adams, chair of the public safety committee. With less than four months to go before primary Election Day, Wills has not yet filed campaign paperwork with the city’s Board of Elections.

A spokesperson for New York Attorney General Letitia James told the Eagle that James has not yet determined whether she will retry Wills.