NYC: 2014 Gay Pride Parade. NYC: New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman marching with this group at the 2014 Gay Pride Parade on Fifth Avenue

EDNY Judge Allows Malicious Prosecution Suit Against Former AG Schneiderman to Proceed

Brooklyn, NY — In a ruling issued in the Eastern District of New York, Judge Brian M. Cogan declined to dismiss key claims brought by former New York City Council member Ruben Wills against ex-New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, allowing Wills’ malicious prosecution and abuse of process claim to proceed past the pleading stage.

Background

Ruben Wills, once a rising political figure in Queens, was indicted and later convicted in 2017 on multiple state charges, including grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing. The charges stemmed from alleged misuse of public funds—first, campaign finance matching funds, and second, a state grant awarded to a nonprofit he founded, NY4Life.

Wills served approximately two years in prison before the New York Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed his conviction in People v. Wills, 186 A.D.3d 1416 (2d Dep’t 2020), citing the trial court’s improper refusal to allow exculpatory witness testimony. The case was not retried, and the charges were ultimately dismissed by Schneiderman’s successor, Attorney General Letitia James.

Allegations Against Schneiderman

Wills alleges that Schneiderman pursued him in bad faith, motivated not by legitimate law enforcement concerns, but by political vendettas and personal animus. The complaint outlines a detailed theory:

Schneiderman allegedly sought Wills’ cooperation to build a case against a political rival.
When Wills refused, Schneiderman allegedly retaliated by initiating a selective and politically motivated prosecution.
Wills also claims Schneiderman was aware that Wills knew of his alleged history of violence against women, which had not yet become public.
He accuses Schneiderman of presenting only inculpatory evidence to a grand jury, withholding exculpatory material (including a key tape), and abusing subpoena powers, such as accessing privileged emails and sealed Family Court records without proper justification.

Wills further points to a campaign advertisement run by Schneiderman featuring footage of Wills being arrested in handcuffs, which he argues reflected a vindictive intent to publicly vilify him for political gain.

Claims and Procedural Posture

Wills brings two primary claims against Schneiderman in his individual capacity:

Malicious prosecution and abuse of process, arising from the alleged wrongful initiation and conduct of the criminal case.
Failure to intervene, though Wills has since withdrawn this claim, narrowing the case.

Schneiderman moved to dismiss the complaint in full.

Court’s Decision

While the full memorandum decision is pending publication, the court has allowed the malicious prosecution and abuse of process claim to go forward. This means Wills will now be permitted to engage in discovery against Schneiderman—a significant step in a case accusing a former top law enforcement official of political retaliation and misconduct.

Context and Implications

This case comes years after Schneiderman resigned in disgrace following separate allegations of assault and abuse by multiple women. Wills’ complaint underscores the ways in which alleged personal misconduct and political ambition can intersect with prosecutorial power.

The ruling could also set precedent for other individuals who claim politically motivated targeting by prosecutors, particularly in cases where convictions have been overturned and retrials declined.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.