Top NY cop pleads guilty

Former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik has pleaded guilty to a slew of charges in his corruption trial, a federal prosecutor said.

Kerik, who was New York's head of police at the time of the September 11 attacks in 2001, admitted to accepting US$255,000 ($353,000) worth of renovations to his apartment from a construction firm angling for government contracts.

The company - which is suspected of having mob ties - installed marble bathrooms, a Jacuzzi and a new kitchen in the former police chief's apartment in the upscale New York suburb of Riverdale.

Yesterday he also pleaded guilty to lying to White House officials about the renovations while being vetted to become the head of Homeland Security.

The 54-year-old is expected to be sentenced in February when he could have faced 61 years in prison, but will likely receive a lesser sentence thanks to the plea deal.