Joseph Percoco, a former top advisor and close confidante of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, was convicted on fraud and bribery charges in a federal corruption case on Tuesday.



Percoco, who served as the governor's executive deputy secretary, was accused of accepting more than $300,000 in bribes from three business executives of two companies which had business with the state.



According to prosecutors, Percoco referred to the bribes as "ziti" in emails, a term he borrowed from the HBO mafia drama The Sopranos.



The governor was not accused of any wrongdoing in the case. But the conviction of Percoco, whom Cuomo once referred to as "my father's third son," comes as a political blow to the two-term Democratic governor, who has promised to clean up corruption in Albany.



Percoco was cleared of extortion charges. His lawyer did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.



























