• Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York. Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP / Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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Steven Aiello, center, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Steven Aiello, center, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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Buffalo-area developer Louis Ciminielli arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Buffalo-area developer Louis Ciminielli arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Alain Kaloyeros, a former president of the State University of New York's Polytechnic Institute, arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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Steven Aiello arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Steven Aiello arrives at federal court for his corruption trial, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in New York.
Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP
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The Kaloyeros trial has a long list of potential witnesses. Click through the slideshow to see some of them. Albany NanoTech officials, from left to right, Brenda Birken, CNSE Vice President for Policy and Regulatory Affairs, Paul Tolley, CNSE Vice President for Disruptive Technologies, Steve Janack, CNSE Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Alain Kaloyeros, CNSE Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, John Loonan, CNSE Vice President for Finance and Fiscal Management, Pradeep Haldar, CNSE Acting Vice President for Green Energy Programs, Richard Brilla, CNSE Vice President for Strategy, Alliances and Consortia, Michael Fancher, CNSE Vice President for Business Development and Economic Outreach, and Robert Geer, CNSE Vice President for Academic Affairs, pose at the Albany NanoTech campus in Albany, NY on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2010. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

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The Kaloyeros trial has a long list of potential witnesses. Click through the slideshow to see some of them. Albany NanoTech officials, from left to right, Brenda Birken, CNSE Vice President for Policy and

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Photo: Paul Buckowski
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RPI President Shirley Ann Jackson walks with IBM's John Kelly lll through the supercomputing center at the Rensselaer Technology Park in North Greenbush. Grant money sought to help fund a $125 million supercomputer was not awarded. Times Union staff photo by Lori Van Buren Lori Van Buren/TIMES UNION less
RPI President Shirley Ann Jackson walks with IBM's John Kelly lll through the supercomputing center at the Rensselaer Technology Park in North Greenbush. Grant money sought to help fund a $125 million ... more
Photo: LORI VAN BUREN
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Times Union Photo by Skip Dickstein -- Alain Kaloyeros speaks of a grant between the State of New York and IBM of $150 million dollars to establish a Center For Excellence at the State University at Albany's Center for Nanoelectronics at a gathering at the CESTM building in Albany, New York April 23, 2001. In the background are from left to right; Governor George Pataki, John Kelly III from IBM; and UAlbany Preident. Karen Hitchcock. less
Times Union Photo by Skip Dickstein -- Alain Kaloyeros speaks of a grant between the State of New York and IBM of $150 million dollars to establish a Center For Excellence at the State University at Albany's ... more
Photo: SKIP DICKSTEIN, DG
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John Kelly III, senior vice president and director of IBM Research, addresses those gathered during an event at RPI on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 in Troy, NY. The event was held for IBM and RPI to announce that IBM will provide a modified version of the IBM Watson system to the college for use by students and faculty. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less
John Kelly III, senior vice president and director of IBM Research, addresses those gathered during an event at RPI on Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2013 in Troy, NY. The event was held for IBM and RPI to announce that ... more
Photo: Paul Buckowski
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SEFCU President and CEO Michael Castellana (Joe Putrock/Special to the Times Union)
SEFCU President and CEO Michael Castellana (Joe Putrock/Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Joe Putrock/Special To The Times Union
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Doug Grose at a Fort Schuyler Management Corporation board meeting on Monday, May 14, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Doug Grose at a Fort Schuyler Management Corporation board meeting on Monday, May 14, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Photo: PAUL BUCKOWSKI
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Doug Grose CEO of NY CREATES, at SUNY Poly on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Doug Grose CEO of NY CREATES, at SUNY Poly on Tuesday, May 1, 2018, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)
Photo: PAUL BUCKOWSKI
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Walter "Jerry" Barber Source: SUNY Poly
Walter "Jerry" Barber Source: SUNY Poly
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Bob Blackman (Joe Putrock / Special to the Times Union)
Bob Blackman (Joe Putrock / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Joe Putrock
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From left, Alain Kaloyeros, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Mike Fancher, Vice President for Business Development and Economic Outreach, give Professor Yigal Komem, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, and Nili Shalev, Israel's economic minister to North America , a tour of Albany Nanotech, on June 12, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less
From left, Alain Kaloyeros, Senior Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Mike Fancher, Vice President for Business Development and Economic Outreach, give ... more
Photo: Lori Van Buren
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(Times Union archive) Mohawk Valley Edge President Steve DiMeo with Mohawk Valley EDGE employees at the Marcy Nanocenter site back in 2007. Six years later, the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering agreed to build the site. less
(Times Union archive) Mohawk Valley Edge President Steve DiMeo with Mohawk Valley EDGE employees at the Marcy Nanocenter site back in 2007. Six years later, the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and ... more
Photo: MICHAEL P. FARRELL
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David Doyle, right, works at the War Room prior to the swearing-in ceremony.
David Doyle, right, works at the War Room prior to the swearing-in ceremony.
Photo: Michael P. Farrell
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Dean Fuleihan, CNSE executive vice president fir strategic partnerships, speaks during the NanoCollege's Be the Change for Kid innovation awards on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. CNSE awards school districts in the state with innovative awards for teaching math and sciences. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union) less
Dean Fuleihan, CNSE executive vice president fir strategic partnerships, speaks during the NanoCollege's Be the Change for Kid innovation awards on Thursday Sept. 26, 2013 in Albany, N.Y. CNSE awards school ... more
Photo: Michael P. Farrell
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Florence Nelson, a PhD candidate at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, right, talks with Chris Borst, Assistant Vice President for Module Engineering, center, and Dean Fuleihan, Executive Vice President for Strategic Partnerships, left, at a high resolution transmission electron microscope at the schoo lon Wednesday Aug. 10, 2011 in Albany, NY. Students will be hired as paid interns for a new Silicon Valley company starting operations at the Albany complex. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union) less
Florence Nelson, a PhD candidate at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, right, talks with Chris Borst, Assistant Vice President for Module Engineering, center, and Dean Fuleihan, Executive Vice ... more
Photo: Philip Kamrass
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From left, Professor Yigal Komem, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, and Nili Shalev, Israel's economic minister to North America, get a tour of Albany Nanotech from Mike Fancher, Vice President for Business Development and Economic Outreach, on June 12, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less
From left, Professor Yigal Komem, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Israel, and Nili Shalev, Israel's economic minister to North America, get a tour of Albany Nanotech from Mike Fancher, Vice President ... more
Photo: Lori Van Buren
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Robert Geer, the who as chief operating officer of SUNY Polytechnic Institute led the school's Utica campus, is stepping down Dec. 1 and will return to SUNY Poly's faculty. Source: Times Union archive.
Robert Geer, the who as chief operating officer of SUNY Polytechnic Institute led the school's Utica campus, is stepping down Dec. 1 and will return to SUNY Poly's faculty. Source: Times Union archive.
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Brian Hannafin, vice president of corporate development at Danforth, at the Buffalo company's office at SUNY Poly's ZEN building. Source: Larry Rulison
Brian Hannafin, vice president of corporate development at Danforth, at the Buffalo company's office at SUNY Poly's ZEN building. Source: Larry Rulison
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Andrew Kennedy, president and CEO of Center for Economic Growth presents the findings of a first-of-its-kind survey of the Capital Region’s video game development cluster at the Tech Valley Center of Gravity Wednesday March 7, 2018 in Troy, NY. (John Carl D'Annibale/Times Union) less
Andrew Kennedy, president and CEO of Center for Economic Growth presents the findings of a first-of-its-kind survey of the Capital Region’s video game development cluster at the Tech Valley Center of Gravity ... more
Photo: John Carl D'Annibale
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Tom Louis is a former State Police senior investigator who retired in 2007. He is heading a police force being established as the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the State University of New York. (John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union) less
Tom Louis is a former State Police senior investigator who retired in 2007. He is heading a police force being established as the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering of the State University of New ... more
Photo: John Carl D'Annibale
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Todd Howe
Todd Howe
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Thomas O'Brien
Thomas O'Brien
Photo: SUNY Poly
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Tom Birdsey, CEO and President of EYP speaks at the ribbon cutting at The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering(CNSE) of the University at Albany and Einhorn Yaffee Prescott(EYP) Architecture and Engineering PC of Albany at the the opening of a $3.5 million initiative that includes the opening of an Alternative Energy Test Farm and the development of a joint educational and workforce training program to prepare the professional who will design and operat the high-tech buliding of the 21st century at a ceremony at CNSE in Albany, New York December 14, 2009. less
Tom Birdsey, CEO and President of EYP speaks at the ribbon cutting at The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering(CNSE) of the University at Albany and Einhorn Yaffee Prescott(EYP) Architecture and ... more
Photo: Skip Dickstein, TIMES UNION
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Alicia Dicks worked for National Grid before she took a job as president of Fort Schuyler Management Corp. She is currently CEO of The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties.
Alicia Dicks worked for National Grid before she took a job as president of Fort Schuyler Management Corp. She is currently CEO of The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties.
Photo: Community Foundation
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i Brenda Lubrano-Birken, General Counsel and Director of Legal Services for University at Albany, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, outside one of the clean rooms at the college in Albany, N.Y. on Monday, June 19, 2006. Times Union staff photo by Paul Buckowsk less
i Brenda Lubrano-Birken, General Counsel and Director of Legal Services for University at Albany, College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, outside one of the clean rooms at the college in Albany, ... more
Photo: Paul Buckowski, Hearst
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NEW YORK — Former SUNY Polytechnic Institute president Alain Kaloyeros considered himself to be on solid ground with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a former chairman of the institute's nonprofit arm testified Tuesday.

"My sense of conversations was that Dr. Kaloyeros felt secure in that relationship," Dean Fuleihan, who chaired SUNY Poly's Fort Schuyler Management Corp.,said Tuesday during cross-examination at Kaloyeros' bid-rigging trial.

Fuleihan, a top aide to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and who previously served as a key aide to former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, hedged often and displayed a foggy memory during his testimony in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

His testimony that Kaloyeros "felt secure" with Cuomo contradicts what federal prosecutors say: that Kaloyeros rigged bids and steered more than $850 million in state construction contracts to favored developers in Syracuse and Buffalo to curry favor with lobbyist Todd Howe, a former aide to Cuomo and his father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo.

The contracts were approved by the board of directors of Fort Schuyler.

In opening statements Monday, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zhou said Kaloyeros has a "rocky relationship" with Cuomo.

Kaloyeros' co-defendants include Steve Aiello, 60, and Joseph Gerardi, 58, top executives with the Syracuse-based COR development, aand Louis Ciminelli, 62, chairman and CEO of LPCiminelli of Buffalo.

All four men are charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Gerardi is additionally charged with lying to federal officers.

Federal prosecutors allege Kaloyeros sent advance copies of request-for-proposals to the developers in Buffalo and Syracuse tailored to those companies attributes.

The Buffalo RFP, given out in late 2013, asked that applicants have "over 50 years of proven experience," among other qualifications. It was later changed to say over 15 years, Kaloyeros attorney Michael Miller noted.

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"You believed it was a typo, yes?" Miller asked Fuleihan.

"I believe it was a mistake," Fuleihan replied. "Exactly the nature of that mistake, I don't know."

Under the cross-examination, Fuleihan said the RFPs did not guarantee LPCiminelli would be a recipient of a contract.

Another former chairman of Fort Schuyler, Walter Barber, was testifying Tuesday afternoon.