UPDATE: Samson pleads guilty in airline shakedown

NEWARK-- Former Port Authority chairman David Samson arrived in federal court in Newark this morning, expected to plead guilty in connection with a continuing criminal investigation into the powerful bi-state agency, WNBC News is reporting.

Prosecutors said a court hearing has been scheduled on a matter of interest, followed by an afternoon press conference with Port Authority officials, but would not confirm that the focus was on Samson.

According to WNBC, citing an unnamed source, he is expected to plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy.

Samson has been at the center of an ongoing probe into allegations that he coerced United Airlines to set up a non-stop flight to make it easier to get to a vacation home in South Carolina. He arrived at the federal courthouse shortly before 9 a.m. accompanied by his attorney, Justin Walder. He brushed aside questions from a NJ Advance Media reporter.

The court hearing comes after a nearly two-year investigation, which has already led to criminal charges against two members of Gov. Chris Christie's inner circle, who prosecutors charged helped orchestrate the 2013 toll lane shutdowns at the George Washington Bridge--allegedly as an act of political retribution against the mayor of Fort Lee after he decline to endorse Christie for re-election.

Samson, who was chairman of the Port Authority when the scandal broke, was never charged with any wrongdoing in connection with the lane closures, but his name repeatedly came up as the story unfolded.

The U.S. Attorney's office later issued subpoenas to the Port Authority and United Airlines in connection with a direct flight from New Jersey to South Carolina that began in September 2012 when Samson was then chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey--which manages Newark Liberty International Airport.

The twice-weekly direct flight, which was rarely filled, charted a route from Newark Liberty to Columbia Metropolitan Airport, located in West Columbia, S.C., cut Samson's travel time to a second home he owns in South Carolina by hours.

The flight was arranged by United while it was in negotiations with the Port Authority and the Christie administration on an expansion of service to Atlantic City and an extension of the PATH train to Newark Airport.

The airline, the largest air carrier at Newark Liberty, canceled the flight just days after Samson stepped down from the Port Authority in March 2014. Federal prosecutors began subpoenaing records about the flight from both United Airlines and the Port Authority more than a year ago. An internal investigation by United led to the ouster of its chief executive officer, Jeff Smisek, and two other senior executives in September 2015.

Staff writer Steve Strunsky contributed to this report.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.