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Longtime Met Council CEO Under Investigation, Fired For 'Financial Irregularities'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - A power broker in New York politics is under criminal investigation after being suddenly fired from his charity post.

As WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported, a spokesman for state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has confirmed that he is investigating William Rapfogel, who had been the CEO of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty for more than 20 years.

The social services charity said its board fired Rapfogel after discovering "financial irregularities" and "apparent misconduct" involving insurance policies.

Longtime Met Council CEO Under Investigation, Fired For 'Financial Irregularities'

A source familiar with the investigation said that is what the AG is looking into, Silverman reported.

Schneiderman confirmed his criminal investigation with state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The comptroller gets involved in investigations when state funding is involved in a case.

The council gets millions of dollars in public money.

Rapfogel is a close ally of New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. His wife is Silver's chief of staff.

No one made any connection between the action by the charity and Silver's office.

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