In Wright trial, explaining 'unfortunate' coincidences

Andy Teitelman, City Councilman Jack Kelly's campaign treasurer, had a problem in 2007: The IRS noticed that he hadn't paid taxes in five years and owed $145,000.

But Teitelman, an attorney, had a larger problem: He and his clients, developers Hardeep and Ravinder Chawla, were being investigated by the FBI for allegedly bribing Kelly's chief of staff, Chris Wright.

Those problems merged yesterday as prosecutors told a jury that Teitelman had waited to pay his taxes until he knew he was under investigation and had paid them with money borrowed from the Chawlas.

Teitelman, on trial with Wright and the Chawla brothers, testified that it was an "unfortunate coincidence" that his tax trouble intersected with his indictment.

It wasn't the only coincidence Teitelman had to explain.

He and the Chawlas are accused of bribing Wright with $1,000, a rent-free apartment and free legal services to help him on his divorce, an eviction action, a home foreclosure and a personal loan.

Teitelman sent Wright a bill for legal work in January 2008 - after the investigation was revealed. He told the jury that the investigation had left him in a "quandary."

"I wanted to be safe rather than sorry, so I sent that bill," Teitelman testified. "I can't tell you what it's like to go through this experience. If they're saying it's illegal, I might as well charge him. I didn't want to charge him. But I didn't want to take any chances."

Teitelman confirmed that he had helped set up Wright in a free apartment near Rittenhouse Square, using a guarantee from a real-estate firm run by Ravinder Chawla, who had a contract to buy the building. Chawla flipped the deal at the last minute to another buyer, who later sued Wright for not paying rent.

Teitelman said that he had gotten the apartment for Wright, who was going through a bitter divorce and drinking heavily, so that he could walk to City Hall and would not drink and drive.

Teitelman insisted that he helped Wright out of friendship, not a desire to have him continue his many efforts to help the Chawlas with city agencies and officials.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Williams showed Teitelman a series of e-mails in which he issued curt instructions to Wright.

"I never pressed him to do anything," Teitelman insisted.

Teitelman's testimony was interrupted yesterday when U.S. District Justice Eduardo Robreno dismissed one of the jurors.

Defense attorneys, who complained Monday about the juror nodding off during testimony and laughing or glaring at their clients when awake, objected again yesterday. Robreno, who cautioned the jury Monday to keep an open mind in the case, met privately with attorneys and then apparently questioned the juror.

Court officers, acting on an order from the judge, prevented anyone from entering or leaving the courtroom yesterday for about 30 minutes. Robreno resumed the trial, using one of two alternates to replace the juror. He instructed the jury to not speculate on why one member was no longer serving on the panel.

The judge also issued an order prohibiting the Daily News from naming or contacting the dismissed juror until after the trial has ended. *