Miami-Dade police officer convicted in lewdness case

A Miami-Dade police officer, who routinely stopped women drivers without cause and engaged in lewd conversations, was convicted in federal court Friday.

Prabhainjana Dwivedi, a seven-year veteran, was found guilty on six of seven counts of depriving people of their civil rights. He was found not guilty on the seventh count involving an undercover police officer.

Following the ruling, U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez immediately remanded Dwivedi back into custody pending sentencing scheduled for sometime in April, according to prosecutor Karen Gilbert. The trial began Monday.

Dwivedi faces up to a year in prison for each count.

A grand jury indicted Dwivedi after he was arrested by FBI agents Sept. 5 at Miami-Dade police headquarters.

Dwivedi, 33, was charged after an investigation into complaints filed for stops made in May and June of 2011 in which he detained “numerous women” for “unreasonable” length of time “without probable cause, reasonable suspicion or other lawful authority to conduct a stop,” a criminal complaint said.

None of the questionable stops were ever listed on his daily reports or called into dispatch.

According to the complaint, Dwivedi who worked overnight patrolling an area from Key Biscayne to Jackson Memorial Hospital, stopped a 24-year-old bartender who was driving from South Beach to Broward County on her way home from work at about 5:30 a.m. on June 25, 2011, in the area of the Golden Glades interchange.

The bartender, identified as M.F., was accused by Dwivedi of driving under the influence. Pleading her innocence, she requested to have a sobriety test performed. Her request was refused.

Noticing a child’s safety seat in the back seat, Dwivedi threatened M.F. that she would lose custody of her son if she were to be arrested on DUI charges, the criminal complaint said. Then the conversation turned sexual.

According to the complaint, Dwivedi, began to inquire about her surgically enhanced breasts and asked “if she had any scars or incisions from the surgery.”

Dwivedi then asked to see the scars. M.F. obeyed, lifting her shirt and exposing her breasts.

According to the complaint written by FBI special agent Susan Funk, “M.F. stated that Dwivedi did not touch her breast.”

, Dwivedi then allowed her to drive home, but said he would follow her to make sure she got safely home. Once at M.F.’s residence, Dwivedi said he was thirsty and asked for a glass of water. Once inside her home, he lingered for an hour speaking of his personal life.

In the end, Dwivedi left without ever reporting anything to dispatch or making any notes of the stop in his daily reports, the criminal complaint said.

A month earlier, Dwivedi made another questionable stop.

According to the complaint, Dwivedi stopped a19-year-old woman at 2:20 a.m. on May 27, 2011, on her way home from a nightclub with two friends. The woman, identified, as A.R., was informed the traffic stop was a result of a failure to turn on her headlights.

Dwivedi also claimed she was driving under the influence, but A.R. disputed the accusation.

A.R. was instructed to sit in the back seat of his marked cruiser and then Dwivedi “instructed A.R. to lower the zipper on the front of her dress down past her breasts to her mid-stomach” according to the complaint.

An hour and 20 minutes later, A.R. was on her way home without any citation and Dwivedi again made no mention or note of the stop, the complaint said.

Miami Herald staff writer Jay Weaver contributed to this report.

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Khloe Kardashian: Kim Just Wants to Move On

Khloe Kardashian tells ET that sister Kim "just wants to move on" with her life and wrap up divorce proceedings with ex Kris Humphries, saying, "Honestly, she is so happy with her life right now, she just wants to put this behind her and move on."

Pics: Five Years of Kim K. Fashion

Kim, who is pregnant with Kanye West's child, filed a declaration in Los Angeles Superior Court last month seeking dissolution of her short-lived marriage to the basketball star. She is hoping to have it over and done with by the time she has her baby, due in July, but claims that Humphries is "stalling" the process.

Related: Kris Refuses to Expedite Divorce From Kim

Khloe spoke with ET at a meet-and-greet to promote her new fragrance with hubby Lamar Odom, Unbreakable Love, at the Sears in Downey, CA. Khloe says her husband was the one who wanted to make the fragrance in the first place, one that they could both wear, making them the first celeb couple to have a unisex fragrance.

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Snow monster mashes apple

The Big Apple got walloped by Superstorm Nemo overnight, prompting thousands of canceled airline flights, suspended train and bus service and gasoline shortages.

Gov. Cuomo declared a state of emergency, giving the city and other New York municipalities the flexibility to deal with what threatened to be a storm of historic magnitude.

Workers fled their offices early to hunker down for the night — as Mayor Bloomberg warned drivers to keep off the roads.

“Stay off the city streets,” Bloomberg advised at a news conference yesterday afternoon. “Stay out of your cars.

ZUMAPRESS.com

WE SEE YOUR KNEES! This hot-blooded gal takes a “short” cut, exposing her legs to the elements in Midtown while her prudent pals stay a bit warmer in the superstorm.

“We’ve got to prepare for the worst case. We’re ready for anything.”

Among yesterday’s major developments:

* More than 1,700 flights were canceled in and out of La Guardia, JFK and Newark airports as wind gusts were expected to hit 50 mph. Travelers are urged to call their airlines today before heading out to airports for flights.

* Forecasters predicted that some coastal areas damaged three months ago by Hurricane Sandy would suffer flooding this morning from a storm surge of one or two feet above normal tides.

* New York City deployed 1,700 snowplows, 450 salt spreaders and 65 front-end loaders for a cleanup mission that will continue through the weekend.

And some 250,000 tons of salt were ready to be spread.

* Gov. Cuomo shut down Metro-North Railroad lines indefinitely as of 10 p.m. last night, with Grand Central Terminal closing at about midnight. The Long Island Rail Road suspended service on parts of the Montauk branch, and NJ Transit officials said they were monitoring snow accumulations to decide whether to suspend service.

* Worried about a repeat of gas shortages seen in Sandy’s aftermath, motorists fueled up at stations around the region, with some running out of gas and most reporting long lines.

A key tanker-delivery fill-up terminal on Long Island near the Queens border ran out of gas yesterday, and an estimated 10 percent of the service stations on the Island also came up empty.

* Con Edison promised to have 500 workers performing damage assessment to power lines, and 250 outside contractors and other personnel lined up to help with power restoration. The utility urged people to steer clear of downed wires. The Con Ed Web site showed only a small number of scattered outages last night.

* The NYPD added personnel to its Highway Division and Emergency Service Unit in neighborhoods that had already been socked by Sandy.

The FDNY also added an extra firefighter to each engine unit throughout the city as a precaution, citing the increased difficulty of battling blazes in the snow. It also deployed 100 extra ambulances on the streets.

* Alternate-side parking rules and parking-meter rules were suspended across the city through tomorrow. And senior centers also were closed today.

In Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick signed an executive order barring all private cars from highways and secondary roads in the state effective at 4 p.m. yesterday.

Connecticut also declared a state of emergency, with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy imposing a travel ban on the state’s limited access highways. Utilities reported more than 23,000 customers without power.

More than 225,000 people were without power in New England.

Bloomberg warned motorists to stay home so the city’s armada of plows, salt trucks and front-end loaders could start quickly clearing the streets.

“City sanitation workers are on a full mobilization and have been since Thursday night. They’re on 12-hour shifts,” he said.

“By [this] morning I would expect most streets to be more than passable. We don’t think it’ll be that big a deal,” he added.

Still, “ ‘stay home’ is a good rule,” he told Gotham residents.

“My biggest concern is that people go out and walk, slip, fall into traffic. You can’t take nature too lightly. It’s certainly not going to be Hurricane Sandy. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get badly hurt or killed if you’re not careful.”

Meteorologists appeared more alarmed. Nemo is “a very dangerous situation, and people need to take proper action,” said Louis Uccellini, director of the National Weather Service.

Some residents and visitors, meanwhile, were glum about the storm putting a serious damper on their weekend activities.

Cyrus Laali, a 30-year-old chiropractor from Texas, was walking through the onset of yesterday’s mess on the streets of SoHo with his 27-year-old girlfriend.

“I’m coming from Texas. It’s 70 and sunny,” Laali said. “I love New York, but I didn’t think I’d be greeted with this.”

But Betty Kim, 31, of Brooklyn, said the storm won’t spoil her plans.

“I’ll be going full throttle hitting bars and restaurants with my friends. I’m really not afraid of the storm,” she said.

dan.mangan@nypost.com

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Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum

Prepare your best pitch for the Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum, Feb. 21 at the south campus of our sponsor, Florida International University.

In addition to how-to panels and inspirational stories from successful entrepreneurs, our annual small business forum will include interactive opportunities with experts to learn about financing options and polish your personal and business brands.

During our finance panel, audience volunteers will be invited to explain their financing needs to the group. During our box-lunch session, they will be invited to pitch their business or personal brand to our coaches.

Those who prefer just to listen will be treated to a keynote address by Alberto Perlman, co-founder of the global fitness craze Zumba. Panels include success stories from the local entrepreneurs who founded Sedano’s, Jennifer’s Homemade and ReStockIt.com; finance tips from experts in small business loans, venture capital, angel investments and traditional bank loans; and insiders in the burgeoning South Florida tech start-up scene.

Plus, it’s a real bargain. $25 includes the half-day seminar, continental breakfast and a box lunch.

Register here.

Program

8 a.m.

Registration and continental breakfast, provided by Bill Hansen Catering

8:30 a.m. Welcome

Host: David Suarez, president and CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC

•  Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

•  Alice Horn, executive director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE South Florida)

•  Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Overview:

•  Nancy Dahlberg, Business Plan Challenge coordinator, The Miami Herald

8:45 a.m. Session I – Success Stories

Moderator: Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

Speakers:

•  Jennifer Behar, founder, Jennifer’s Homemade

•  Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com

•  Javier Herrán, chief marketing officer, Sedano’s Supermarkets

10 a.m. Session II – All about Tech

Moderator: Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Speakers

•  Susan Amat, founder, Launch Pad Tech

•  Nancy Borkowski, executive director, Health Management Programs, Chapman Graduate School of

Business, Florida International University

•  Mark Slaughter, CEO, Cohealo.com

•  Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions at Citrix and a director of the South Florida Tech Alliance

11:15 a.m. Keynote

Speaker: Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba® Fitness

Introduction: Jane Wooldridge, business editor, The Miami Herald

11:45 a.m. Session III – Show me the money: Financing your small business

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make a short investment pitch before a panel, including experts in microlending, SBA loans, traditional bank loans, venture capital and angel investing. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation that includes details about current backing, how much money they are seeking and a brief synosis of ow that money would be used.

Moderator: Melissa Krinzman, founder and managing director, Venture Architects

Panelists:

•  Marjorie Weber, chairman, SCORE of Miami-Dade

•  Cornell Crews, Jr., program director, Partners for Self Employment

•  Darius G. Nevin, co-founder, G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early-stage investment company

•  Boris Hirmas Said, chairman of the board, Tres Mares S.A. (Santiago, Chile) and entrepreneur in

residence at the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center

1 p.m. Lunch session - Polish your Pitch, Brighten Your Personal Brand

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make short pitches about their businesses and themselves. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation.

Coaches: Melissa Krinzman of Venture Architects and Michelle Villalobos of Mivista Consulting

advise audience volunteers on how to best pitch themselves and their products.

Box lunch provided by Bill Hansen Catering

All speakers confirmed unless otherwise noted. Agenda is subject to change without notice .

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Stranded python hunters rescued from Broward Everglades

Two python hunters were rescued Thursday afternoon by Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue after they became stranded and disoriented in the Everglades.

According to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue spokesman Mike Jachles, a call came in shortly before 4 p.m. that the hunters, 22 and 25 years old and from Tennessee, were stranded 15 miles west of U.S. 27 near the Broward-Palm Beach County line.

“It doesn’t seem like they were familiar with the area,” Jachles said. “They underestimated the conditions. We had temperature in the 80s. “

The men, suffering from exhaustion and dehydration, complained of lightheadedness and weakness when air rescue located them. They were taken two miles from where they were found and treated by firefighters and paramedics.

“Fortunately our helicopter and rescue crews got to them before it would have gotten much worse,” Jachles said.

The victims, thought to be staying in their car, refused to be taken to a hospital for further treatment.

Jachles could not confirm that they were taking part in the ongoing “Python Challenge,” which began last month and offers cash prizes to hunters who kill the most, and longest, Burmese pythons, which have infested the Everglades in recent years.

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GWB leaping beauty’s sad descent into 'faux foe' rage

The fashionista who jumped to her death from the George Washington Bridge felt under siege by five frenemies she barred from her funeral via suicide note — including one who told her to overdose, The Post has learned.

“Go try to kill yourself on Xanax again, you unstable loser. Go f--k yourself and never speak to me again,” Alison Tinari wrote in a Facebook exchange with troubled Ashley Riggitano, who killed herself Wednesday, her 22nd birthday.

The blond beauty left behind a multipage, handwritten note in a Louis Vuitton bag that excluded Tinari and four other women from the funeral because of their contentious relationships through the years.

HAD WORDS: Ashley (left) and biz partner Victoria Van Thunen (right) fought on Facebook.

WHY? Classmate Teresa Castaldo (left) and publicist Beth Bassil (right) are on enemy list.

FURY: Ashley ripped Alison Tinari (left) for hanging with hunk Drew Heissenbuttel (right).

A source identified the others as Teresa Castaldo, Beth Bassil, Victoria Van Thunen and Samantha Horneff.

Van Thunen was Riggitano’s business partner at Missfits, a jewelry-design business. Castaldo and Bassil were classmates at Midtown’s Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, and Horneff was a friend from New Jersey.

Riggitano placed her handbag on a walkway at about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday before leaping from a midway point in the Jersey-bound lanes of the upper level, authorities said.

Prescription drugs, including Adderall, which is used to treat ADHD, and Klonopin, an anti-panic drug, were found in her bag.

Riggitano’s suicide notes — written in girlish cursive on lined, loose-leaf paper — revealed the depths of her despair.

“To any funeral, these people should not be allowed based upon words and actions,” she wrote about the five women.

She also mentioned three others by first name only — calling them “only people I love & always there to tell sorry.”

She blasted her other pals, writing, “All my other ‘friends’ are in it for gossip, never there just 1/4 for gossip.”

Hours before the suicide, Van Thunen ripped Riggitano in a Facebook post.

“Those who incessantly blame others as the cause of their issues should perhaps take a step back and re-evaluate these situations,” Van Thunen, 21, wrote.

“The common thread may be that ‘they’ aren’t the problem, but rather that YOU are.”

About a month earlier, Riggitano initiated an ugly, two-day exchange with Tinari that led to the Xanax suicide comment.

The fight stemmed from Tinari’s ongoing friendship with Riggitano’s boyfriend, aspiring race-car driver Drew Heissenbuttel.

“It’s really horrible what happened. I feel really bad for her family. It’s crazy. I feel really bad for her. I never went after her; she went after me,” a remorseful Tinari told The Post yesterday, adding that she didn’t even know Riggitano before the exchange.

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Need a copy of your home’s deed? It’s cheaper to do it yourself

Homeowners who received letters recently from a company offering to sell them a copy of the deed on their home might want to think twice before writing a check.

The official-looking letters from Florida Certified Record Retrieval state that the government recommends having a certified copy of their home’s deed.

The letter offers to provide such a copy for a fee of $50, plus $4.50 for postage and handling.

Technically, it’s not a scam. The Davie-based company, which is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau, will get the record for you.

A recorded message on the company’s answering service states that Florida Certified Record Retrieval is not affiliated with any state or government agency. It is a private company that buys lists of real estate transactions, which are public record.

The message also states the company has no access to original documents, and cannot change information — such as correcting misspelled names — on a certified copy of a deed.

Although what the company does is not illegal, homeowners can buy copies of a deed directly from their county’s clerk of courts for much less, said David Rooney, Division Chief of Recording at the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts Office.

To get a copy of your deed:

In Miami-Dade, visit www.miami-dadeclerk.com and select “official record search.” Records are searchable by name.

A scanned copy of the record can be printed from the website, or you can order certified copies of the deed from the same screen.

Copies cost $1 per page, plus a certification fee of $2 per document. The records are mailed within a week.

In Broward, visit www.broward.org, click on “Public Records Search” and then on “Deeds.”

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Two children ejected from vehicle in Miami Gardens accident

Two children were ejected from a vehicle in an accident Wednesday afternoon on their way home from school.

They and two other children were headed home from Norland Middle School in a shuttle van they take every day. When the driver, who was northbound on Northwest 12th Avenue, reached 199th Street, an eastbound Nissan Altima hit the van, throwing two children from it.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue took them to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where they were reported to be in stable condition.

The parents of a girl in the van took her to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Neither the fourth child nor the van’s driver was injured.

The driver of the eastbound vehicle claimed he was experiencing a heart attack just before the accident, but authorities determined he did not. He was treated at Jackson North Medical Center and reported to be in stable condition.

None of the children or drivers were immediately identified.

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Justin Timberlake Reveals New Album Cover for 20 20 Experience

We're one step closer to The 20/20 Experience!

Justin Timberlake just dropped a major treat for his fans on Twitter, revealing the cover art and tracklisting to his upcoming solo album, The 20/20 Experience.

"I wanted you guys to see this first!!!," wrote Timberlake with a link to the cover (featuring the singer dressed to the nines behind a phoropter) and song titles.

Pics: Justin & Jessica's Long Road to the Altar

Check out the full tracklisting below:

-Pusher Love Girl

-Suit & Tie

-Don't Hold The Wall

-Strawberry Bubblegum

-Tunnel Vision

-Spaceship Coupe

-That Girl
Let The Groove Get In

-Mirrors

-Blue Ocean Floor

The 20/20 Experience hits stores on March 19.

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WATCH: High-speed Los Angeles car chase ends in huge fireball

KTLA video still

A police chase in California ended in flames Wednesday night.

A Los Angeles police chase ended in a fireball Wednesday, with the high-speed pursuit caught on video.

KTLA video shows the chase - which involved a suspected drunken driver, the station reports.

The driver weaved in between cars, eluding authorities along a highway in Boyle Heights, a neighborhood on the east side of Los Angeles.

Eventually the suspect's car spun, crashing into a guardrail and bursting into flames.

As fire engulfed the wreckage, police approached the car and pulled the driver to safety.

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Greenberg Traurig shuffles leadership

Law firm Greenberg Traurig on Tuesday announced a new management lineup that includes naming Hilarie Bass as the first female president in the firm’s history.

Bass, one of the firm’s Miami shareholders, most recently had been global operating shareholder. She will share the presidency with Brian L. Duffy, a Denver shareholder who has been global litigation chair, a position previously held by Bass.

As part of the shuffle, Miami shareholders Cesar L. Alvarez and Matt Gorson move to co-chairs and Larry Hoffman becomes founding chair. Alvarez previously served as executive chair, Gorson as president and Hoffman as chair.

These were just some of the new leadership changes announced by Greenberg’s Chief Executive Richard A. Rosenbaum. The firm began a leadership transition plan in 2010 when Rosenbaum took over the helm of the firm that today includes about 1,750 attorneys in 35 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

“We are pleased to have so many talented leaders and performers, not just those with titles,” Rosenbaum said in a statement. “We have never been about titles or politics, and titles do not create leaders. We and others already in place in our regions, offices and practices form a seamless team focused on respecting and serving our clients and lawyers.”

Rosenbaum, who will remain in his post, also announced four new vice presidents:

• Ernest Greer, Managing Shareholder of the firm’s Atlanta office.

• Brad Kaufman, Co-Chair of the National Securities Litigation Practice, leader of the firm’s Associate Development Program and a Palm Beach County shareholder.

• Patricia Menendez-Cambo, Chair of the Global Practice, Co-Chair of the Infrastructure and Project Finance Practice and a Miami shareholder.

• Keith Shapiro, Chair of the Chicago office and Co-Chair of the Business Reorganization Practice.

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Miami Heat has scholarships for graduation high school seniors

The Miami Heat is offering South Florida high school seniors college scholarships for the 2013-2014 school year.

Four scholarships of $2,500 each will go to seniors who excel in academics and community service.

One of the four scholarships is reserved for a student who plays sports.

Applicants must have at least a 3.2 grade point average by their final semester in high school, attend school in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach counties, be accepted to an accredited four-year college or university and demonstrate financial need.

Applications are available at nba.com/heat/community/community_education_scholarships.html and must be submitted by April 6.

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Bachelor Recap: Tierra a Victim of the Elements Again

Tonight's episode marks the second time Bachelor contestant Tierra has been in need of rescue from her Prince Charming (and an EMT crew), for those keeping score.

The rugged outdoors was the theme of Tuesday's show, as the girls were split apart into two one-on-one dates and a group date involving the treacherous elements of snowy Alberta, Canada.

Pics: 'The Bachelor' Scorecard (Did the Relationships Sizzle or Fizzle?)

While Catherine's exploratory snow bus outing and Desiree's 400-ft mountain descent made for thrilling excursions, Sean's frozen swim date with the other seven ladies took the cake for the night's most exhilarating adventure.

Only six volunteered (minus Selma) to brave the icy waters and most came out of the plunge feeling a buzz from the frozen feat. That is, everyone except Tierra. The resident bad gal of the group immediately came down with a case of apparent hypothermia and was whisked away by medical crew to Sean's dismay.

He later visited the ailing Tierra back at her hotel, urging her to spend the night recovering rather than attend the party, but she ultimately ignores his advice and crashes cocktail time.

Despite the unexpected intrusion, the girls are less perturbed than would have been expected. Unfortunately, during a private moment with Sarah, Sean comes to realize that he's been forcing a connection and sends her home.

Related: 'Bachelor' Sean Questions Tierra's Motives

During the night, Sean hits new milestones with AshLee, Lesley and Selma, who finally succumbs to a smooch on national television, despite her disapproving parents.

Apparently, the kiss wasn't enough to keep her in the game. Sean sent Selma home along with Daniella during the rose ceremony.

Catherine and Desiree were safe to date another day as they were both awarded roses during their one-on-ones.

Tune in to The Bachelor next Monday on ABC as Sean and the final six slip on their bikinis and hit the sunny St Croix Virgin Islands.

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Plucked from icy death grip: Two plunge into Pond at Central Park

Two young Bronx men horsing around on the frozen Central Park Pond fell through thin ice yesterday — and three rescuers who tried to save them also ended up in the drink.

Ayana Nyamaa, 19, and Abdoulatif Ali, 20, told The Post they had no clue there was a body of water beneath the snow as they crossed at around 2 p.m. near the park entrance at Central Park South and Fifth Avenue.

Theyy were “taking pictures” and “goofing around” about 50 yards from the edge of The Pond, several witnesses said.

“One was doing a little dance,” said Phoebe Cutter, 23, a Manhattan graphic designer. “The one who did the dance hopped on one foot, then he hopped on the other foot.

Glenn Halcomb

LUCKY TO LIVE: Ayana Nyamaa (above left), 19, and 20-year-old Abdoulatif Ali were horsing around on The Pond yesterday (above) when the ice gave way. They said they didn’t know they were on the frozen surface of a body of water.

Dana Sauchelli

LUCKY TO LIVE: Ayana Nyamaa, 19, and 20-year-old Abdoulatif Ali were horsing around on The Pond yesterday (above) when the ice gave way. They said they didn’t know they were on the frozen surface of a body of water.

“I was going to leave, but I thought, ‘That’s so dumb. I’d better stay here. They might fall through,’ ” added Cutter, who was first to call 911.

After breaking through the ice, Ali was able to pull himself out of the water in a matter of seconds, but Nyamaa struggled in the 32-degree water for about 15 minutes before he was plucked to safety.

Two park workers and a Central Park Precinct cop also fell through the half-inch sheet of ice as they desperately tried to get Nyamaa out.

“The police officer threw his [rope] to the park employee so he could tie it together — and at that instant, the police officer fell into the water near the edge and my co-worker, who was beside him, fell in,” said park worker Rafael Perez, 36.

Another park worker went to the edge to help, when “everything started crumbling around him, and then he fell into the water, too,” Perez added.

FDNY units arrived in minutes and set up ladders across the thin ice.

Dressed in a dive suit, veteran firefighter Matt Murphy, 34, crawled over the ice with a rescue ring and entered the water behind Nyamaa, sources said.

“The water was over their heads. They could not feel bottom,” said FDNY Lt. Tony Tarabocchia.

Murphy hooked a rescue collar around the victim, and firefighters pulled him out. Other members of the rescue team plucked out the cop and the park workers.

“He was blabbering, he was a little lethargic,” Tarabocchia said of Nyamaa. “He might have been getting hypothermia.”

Nyamaa, Ali and the rescuers were treated and checked for hypothermia at New York Hospital.

The two victims told The Post they had cut through Central Park on their way home to The Bronx after going to a Midtown CVS to apply for work.

“People were on the snow walking. Me and my friend went in and tried to take pictures of the snow — I didn’t know there was water [underneath],” said Nyamaa, a native of Togo who moved to The Bronx last year and attends a GED program at Bronx Regional HS.

“One minute I was fine and then boom — we fell down in the ice at the same time,” he added.

“The fireman saved my life. I thank God for saving my life. I thought I would die.”

Nyamaa is lucky to be alive.

After 15 minutes, a person in such frigid water can lose consciousness, experts said.

Signs around The Pond read “Danger: Thin Ice!” — and police issued both men summonses for “unlawful ice activity.”

Additional reporting by Jamie Schram, Christine Parker and Pedro Oliveira Jr.

pedro.oliveira@nypost.com

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Miami startup that turns text to video receives $1 million in seed funding

Guide, a new technology startup based in Miami, announced Tuesday it has closed a $1 million round of seed investment from investors including Knight Foundation, Sapient Corp., MTV founder Bob Pitman, actor and producer Omar Epps, and early Google employee Steve Schimmel. Knight is supporting Guide through its new early-stage venture fund, the Knight Enterprise Fund.

Led by CEO and founder Freddie Laker, Guide’s team of seven is focused on turning online news, social streams and blogs into video for users who may be cooking, exercising, commuting or getting ready in the morning. The application offers consumers a selection of about 20 “anchors” — including a dog, a robot and an anime character — that will read the article and present the accompanying photos, pull-out information and video clips in its video presentation.The basic application will be free for the consumer. Revenue drivers for Guide could include in-app purchases, advertising-based anchors and customizations from publishers, said Laker, a former vice president at SapientNitro.

Laker and his team plan to launch a public beta next month, which they plan to do with a splash at the huge technology conference South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

Read more about Guide here on the Starting Gate blog.

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Woman gets 30-days in jail for giving the finger to a Miami-Dade judge

A woman facing a drug possession charge was sentenced to 30 days in jail on Monday for giving the finger to a Miami-Dade judge, NBC6 is reporting.

Penelope Soto, 18, had been arrested for possession of Xanax and was brought before Circuit Judge Jorge Rodriguez-Chomat Monday, where she was asked about her assets during a video court hearing, the station said.

During an exchange the judge felt was disrespectful, Soto flipped Rodriguez-Chomat her middle finger and blurted out: "[expletive] you" as she walked away from the camera.

The judge demanded she return to the podium and sentenced her to 30-days in jail for contempt of court

It all began when Soto, sporting orange jail jumpsuit, appeared to make light of the proceedings, laughing when she was asked how much her jewelry was worth.

"It's not a joke, you know, we're not in a club now," Rodriguez-Chomat told her. "We are not in a club, be serious about it."

"I'm serious about it, you just made me laugh," Soto replied. "You just made me laugh, I apologize. It's worth a lot of money."

"Like what?" the judge asked.

"Like Rick Ross. It's worth money," she said.

The judge, not understanding the odd reference to the South Florida rapper who made news last week when his car was fired at on Las Olas Boulevard, asked Soto if she's taken any drugs in the past 24 hours.

"Actually, no," she replied.

Rodriguez-Chomat set her bond at $5,000 and said "bye, bye," and Soto laughed and replied " Adios."

Annoyed, Rodriguez-Chomat summoned her back and reset her bond at $10,000, shocking Soto.

"Are you serious?" she asked.

"I am serious. Adios," he replied.

To watch the video of the exchange on the NBC6 website, click here.

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Nancy O'Dell Makes Oscar Nominee and Les Miserables Star Hugh Jackman Blush

Hugh Jackman has been known to induce swooning at the removal of his shirt, but the Oscar nominee tells our Nancy O'Dell that he's far from runway ready, even blushing at the mere suggestion.

PICS: Hot Looks of the Oscar Luncheon

Nancy caught up with the Les Miserables star after the Motion Picture Academy's Nominees Luncheon, where he named Tom Ford as the designer he'll be wearing on the Oscars red carpet.

"I'm one of those guys who when people say, 'Sir, would you like to taste the wine?' I say, 'Oh, it's amazing!' and it could be six dollars," said Hugh, fashioning himself as a man of simpler tastes. "And I'm kind of the same with tuxedoes, but with Tom -- I just know him as a person and everything I wear of his feels good."

Nancy was quick to point out Hugh's model physique that probably doesn't hurt in helping make the clothes look good.

"Way too much hair on my body for a runway," Hugh nervously joked while blushing. "They're all hairless."

During today's Oscar luncheon, Hugh congregated with other nominees, which included newcomer Quvenzahane Wallis, Anne Hathaway, Bradley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Denzel Washington, Jessica Chastain, Daniel Day-Lewis, Joaquin Phoenix and more.

VIDEO: Fielding Fashion & Fun Times at Oscars Luncheon

Hugh described the event as "amazing."

"This is one I'll always remember," said Hugh. "You take in the history of it and you take in the enormity of the moment and everyone is standing there and squishing in, and it kind of felt like being back at school all at the same time."

Click the video to see Hugh's quick one-on-one with an inquisitive fan.

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NYPD releases stop-frisk numbers: Most used in Brooklyn & Queens, nearly all stopped are black or Hispanic

The NYPD for the first time publicly released a report last night on its controversial stop-and-frisk procedure that breaks down by city precinct — and by race — those targeted.

The figures, all from 2011, show that the precinct with the most stops by sheer numbers was Brooklyn’s 75th, which includes East New York and Cypress Hills.

More than 31,000 people were stopped, 97 percent of them either black or Hispanic.

The 73 Precinct, covering Brownsville in Brooklyn, was the next highest with 25,167 stops. About 98 percent involved minorities.

In Queens, the 115th Precinct — which includes East Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights — ranked third with 18,156 stops. Nearly 93 percent of those involved minorities, the figures show.

The 40th Precinct in The Bronx, which covers Mott Haven and Melrose, racked up the next highest number — 17,690 — with 98.5 percent of them involving minorities.

And at No. 5 was the 90th Precinct in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where there were 17,566 stops, with 88.6 percent involving minorities.

The New York Civil Liberties Union had fought for release of the stats last year.

After getting them, the civil-rights group published the figures on their Web site in May, saying they show a pattern of racial profiling — a charge that the NYPD denies.

The Police Department said it had no comment on why it was releasing the figures itself now.

As has been reported, the statistics show that overall, nearly 90 percent of those targeted by NYPD stop-and-frisks in the city in 2011 were either black or Hispanic.

Meanwhile, blacks and Hispanics together make up less than 53 percent of the population.

A total 685,724 people — 8.6 percent of the city’s population — were detained by cops for “reasonable suspicion.”

That was the highest number since the NYPD started recording stop-and-frisk figures in 2002.

Of that number, 9 percent also were white, and 4 percent were Asian, the figures showed.

The No. 1 reason for stop-and-frisks that year was possible weapons possession, the report said.

The statistics did not say how many of those stops resulted in arrests.

natasha.velez@nypost.com

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Skyscanner.com opening Miami office

One of Kayak and Expedia’s international rivals in the online-travel business is opening up a Miami office in a bid to capture a larger share of the North American market.

Skyscanner, the No. 1 travel site in Europe, picked Miami to open its first U.S. office, according to a company press release. A spokesman said the company plans to put 10 executives in the Miami office, and that the hunt is on for a specific location.

While big in Europe and Asia, Skyscanner.com has a low profile in the Americas. Skyscanner said it selected Miami as its first U.S. location given the city’s ties to South America.

DOUGLAS HANKS

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Ex-Broward deputy charged with trying to strangle wife

Former Broward sheriff’s Deputy Maury Hernandez, who made headlines more than five years ago when he was shot in the head during a traffic stop and made a near-miraculous recovery, was arrested Sunday night for allegedly trying to strangle his wife.

Miami-Dade police charged Hernandez with battery and domestic violence. His wife, Ivonne Linen, is a Miami-Dade police officer.

According to Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS 4, Hernandez was held at a pretrial detention center in downtown Miami then released on bail.

Attempts to contact Hernandez were unsuccessful.

The 33-year-old former BSO deputy was shot in the back of the head on Aug. 8, 2007, while on duty. David Maldonado, a motorcyclist, was stopped by Hernandez for speeding through several red lights on Pembroke Road. He shot Hernandez, who fell into a coma and gradually recovered.

Maldonado was convicted of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and sentenced to life in prison.

Hernandez sued the Florida Department of Corrections for negligence two years later, claiming the department did not follow up on Maldonado’s explanation for possessing a gun. Maldonado, an ex-con with a lengthy criminal record, had said the gun was for work-related purposes.

In January 2012, Hernandez shot a homeless man in Miami Lakes. The man allegedly tried to assault Hernandez’s family at a shopping center on 16403 NW 67th Ave. The retired officer fired his registered gun several times at the man, who was wandering the area asking for money, and approached Hernandez, his then-fiancée and their children.

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SUPER BOWL WATCH: Brotherly advice, Twitter buzz

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Around the Super Bowl and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details of everything surrounding the game:

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BROTHERLY ADVICE: AARON RODGERS

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh are hardly the only high-profile siblings who’ve squared off in their arena of expertise. The AP is asking some others who can relate how to handle going against a family member in the Super Bowl.

As the middle of three brothers, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers knows a thing or two about high-stakes competitions with siblings. It wouldn’t matter if he was facing one of his brothers in the backyard or the sport’s biggest stage.

“I’d want to beat them pretty bad,” the 2011 NFL MVP said. “I really would.”

Less than two years separates Rodgers and his older brother, Luke, now on Fuel TV’s “Clean Break,” and the two are “very competitive.”

“My older brother and I had a lot of great matchups, great one-on-one games. We competed a lot in sports,” Rodgers said.

There’s still a chance Rodgers could wind up facing one of his brothers on the field, maybe even at the Super Bowl. Jordan Rodgers led Vanderbilt to its first nine-win record since 1915 last season and is now preparing for the NFL draft.

“I hope so,” Rodgers said of the prospects of a “Rodgers Bowl.” ”And I hope we would win if that ever happened.”

— Nancy Armour — http://twitter.com/nrarmour

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TWITTER BUZZ BUILDING

Americans on Twitter are already buzzing about the Super Bowl with about 6 hours until the game kicks off.

Four terms related to the game between the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers are trending in the United States: “Happy Super Bowl Sunday,” ”49ers,” ”Beyonce” and “Ray Lewis.”

None, however, are trending worldwide yet.

— Oskar Garcia — http://twitter.com/oskargarcia

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GUN AD

Washington lawmakers watching the Super Bowl in the beltway are getting a 30-second visit from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s gun control group.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a coalition of more than 900 mayors in 48 states, paid six figures for the local spot, according to a Bloomberg spokesman.

The ad calls on lawmakers to pass rules requiring background checks on guns. It is narrated by children with “America the Beautiful” playing in the background.

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QUICKQUOTE: ANDREW LUCK

Andrew Luck has high praise for San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, his old coach at Stanford. Even if he did pick an unusual way to express it.

“I always enjoyed playing under coach Harbaugh. He always brought a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” the Indianapolis Colts quarterback said. “He was the type of guy you’d want in an alley fight with you. You could tell he wanted to win just as bad as the next guy.”

— Nancy Armour — http://www.twitter.com/nrarmour

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EDITOR’S NOTE — “Super Bowl Watch” shows you the Super Bowl and the events surrounding the game through the eyes of Associated Press journalists across New Orleans and around the world. Follow them on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Warm Bodies Tops Weekend Box Office

Audiences embraced Warm Bodies for its debut, making it the weekend's highest grosser at the box office.

RELATED: New on Blu-ray & DVD

The zombie rom-com (starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer and John Malkovich) dug up $20 million, beating out Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, which placed second with $9.4 million.

Academy Award Best Picture nominee Silver Linings Playbook trailed close behind with $8.1 million despite entering its 12th week in theaters. Fellow Best Picture nominees Zero Dark Thirty ($5.3 million), Django Unchained ($3 million), Les Miserables ($2.44 million) and Lincoln ($2.41 million) also made the top 10.

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The good, the ads & the ugly

Some of the biggest scores and worst fumbles made during last night’s Super Bowl were made by advertisers.

At a record $3.8 million for each 30-second spot, companies strived for buzz and attention.

Mercedes-Benz wound up on both the winning and losing sides last night, experts said.

In the winner, the carmaker tapped Willem Dafoe as the devil offering to give a man a car in return for his soul — only to be rejected when the guy learned he could buy it for $30,000.

The company’s losing ad teased viewers by implying it would show supermodel Kate Upton getting sudsy while washing a Mercedes — but ended with highschool football players doing the job.

Old folks can party hard — and down late-night tacos — like anyone else! The funny, raucous spot showed seniors out on the town, dancing, getting tattoos, getting freaky in a bathroom and eating at Taco Bell.

Taco Bell found the marketing end zone with senior citizens going crazy.

Perennial Super Bowl ad star GoDaddy.com grossed out experts with stunner Bar Refaeli giving a very wet kiss to a nerd.

Budweiser and Jeep both scored emotional points, using a baby Clydesdale and military families, respectively.

The Post’s panel of experts included Richard Kirshenbaum, CEO of NSG/SWAT; George Belch, chairman of the marketing department at San Diego State University; Timothy Calkins, marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management; and Barbara Lippert, Mediapost.com editorat-large.

—Additional reporting by Claire Atkinson

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Bright spots in Latin America despite global economic uncertainty

There are bright spots as Latin American and Caribbean economies begin the year but the uncertain health of the U.S. economy, the lingering financial crisis in Europe and more sluggish growth in China are casting shadows over the region.

A decade ago, dim prospects in those major markets would have delivered a knock-out punch in the region, but this year Latin American and Caribbean economies are expected to grow by 3.5 percent and average 3.9 percent growth in 2014 and 2015, according to a World Bank forecast. The United Nations’ Economic Commission has a slightly more sanguine forecast of 3.8 percent growth in 2013.

Both are better than the 2.4 percent growth the World Bank is forecasting for the global economy and the mere 1.3 percent increase it is predicting for high-income countries.

The U.S. economy grew by 2.2 percent in 2012. But the economy shrank 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter and the first quarter of 2013 also could be sluggish..

“That creates a soggy start for 2013 in Latin America,’’ said David Malpass, president of Encima Global, a New York economic consulting and research firm.

With a recession in Japan, even slower growth expected in Europe than in the United States, and questions about whether the dip in the Chinese economy has bottomed out and whether the United States will be making sharp cuts in defense spending and other federal programs come March 1, Latin American and Caribbean nations can’t really depend on the industrialized world to spur growth.

The region must look inward and undertake structural reforms that will allow growth from domestic factors, said Malpass, who was in Miami in January for an event organized by the University of Miami’s Center for Hemispheric Policy.

Panama’s $5.25 billion investment in expansion of the Panama Canal is an example of the inward focus that will pay off down the road, said Malpass. By 2015, Panama plans to have completed two new sets of locks on the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal and the deepening and widening of existing channels to accommodate the so-called Post-Panamax ships too big to traverse the current locks.

“It’s a difficult period but a period where developing countries are growing solidly but not as quickly as they might otherwise want to,’’ said Andrew Burns, the lead author of the World Bank’s annual Global Economic Trends report.

That means they should focus on investment in infrastructure and healthcare, structural policies, regulatory reforms and improvements in governance that will pay future dividends down the road, Burns said.

Such economic reforms, plus high commodity prices enjoyed by countries with fertile fields and mineral wealth, helped the region move beyond the global financial crisis of 2008 and 2009 far more quickly than it did when it was so dependent on economic cycles in the rest of the world.

Economic growth slowed in Latin America and the Caribbean from 4.3 percent in 2011 to an estimated 3 percent but that was still better than the 1.3 percent growth high-income countries managed in 2012, according to The World Bank.

China will continue to play a major role in Latin America and the Caribbean this year but whether the slowdown in China has reached its low point is subject to debate. But it’s relative. Slow growth in China would be brisk growth elsewhere. China says its gross domestic product grew 7.8 percent in 2012, the most tepid growth in 13 years and a comedown from 9.3 percent growth in 2011.

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Plenty of opinions on fixing the nation’s broken immigration system

Most agree that the nation’s immigration system is broken, but there’s no agreement on fixing it.

This week, the debate over immigration reform emerged once again. President Barack Obama outlined his plan on a visit to Nevada on Tuesday. On Monday, a bipartisan group of eight senators, including Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, outlined their plan. Both similar, but one key difference is the time it takes for the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants to become legal U.S. residents and, eventually, U.S. citizens.

Obama’s plan would allow undocumented immigrants to receive work permits and, presumably, quickly begin the process of applying for permanent legal U.S. residency — more commonly known as a green card. The Senate proposal would put undocumented immigrants in line with everyone else trying to get into country, a process that could take decades to complete.

There is no specific bill on the table, but Obama and top Senate leaders from both sides of the aisle say they want to a bill passed by summer’s end.

The Miami Herald sought the opinions of members of HeraldSource by asking whether undocumented immigrants should be allowed to get on a path to citizenship and what requirements would have to be met to qualify.

The group is part of the popular Public Insight Network and helps The Herald explore timely issues in the news. Here’s a sampling of the comments:

Kirsten Llama, of Miami:

“Yes. As long as they do not commit crimes and make an effort to learn English. They are here. We need them. They take jobs many natives will not take. They will pay their fair share of taxes as citizens. If they serve in the military or work in humanitarian jobs, such as medical and education, they should be given a faster path [to citizenship]. Insist they go home for half a year before they reapply to return. If they do not fulfill their jobs, they should be sent home.

Ed Wujciak, of Hollywood:

Yes. The presence of “second-class residents,” which is what undocumented immigrants are, creates great strains in our society. These people are vulnerable, afraid, and powerless to participate in the society they live in. They are here because the U.S. government has had a “see no evil” attitude toward them. They were allowed to come and stay because they work cheap and boost corporate profits, but they are powerless to improve their situation. In other words, they’re perfect employees. Plus, their presence in such great numbers puts great downward pressure on the wages and working conditions of everyone else. Our policy toward these people has been dishonest and exploitative. Our policies acted as an unspoken invitation and we owe them the dignity of legal status.

Fred San Millan, of Miami:

No. It will open a floodgate and more people will invade the United States, creating a real social calamity that will definitely affect this country forever on all fronts, social and economic. I would keep the same rules of a balanced quota for each country, and register the illegal in this country without persecuting them, however. [I suggest] a nationwide referendum for this immigration problem.

Ed Gugliotta, of Miami Beach:

No. Not before all the others that are legally in line waiting for their chance, such as family members, professional workers [H1B or O visas, investors E1, L1] visas, who have been in the country for many years, abiding by the law, paying taxes, investing and waiting patiently their so slow process to obtain at least a green card. Ease the process of obtaining the Green Card for family members and workers that have shown good faith and honest intention on becoming valuable and productive residents, Undocumented immigrants can then follow the legal path to citizenship. Secure the borders so no more illegals can access the American soil, and undocumented already here (although they are technically felons) must learn the language, have a local resident or citizen as sponsor, no criminal background, and some kind of skill useful for the nation. Then they could obtain some kind of parole permit that would allow them to stay, have a job, get a driver’s license, pay taxes and a two-year test period before accessing a special, say, blue card that would allow them to stay for 5 years, and subsequently, if accepted, request the green card.

Sergio R. Bustos is The Miami Herald’s politics and state government editor. He can be reached at sbustos@MiamiHerald.com. Public Insight Journalism Analyst Stefania Ferro can be reached at sferro@ MiamiHerald.com. Sign up for the Public Insight Network by going to MiamiHerald.com/Insight.

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Deadly deserts

Ralph Peters

Violence in Allah’s name in northern Africa won’t end in my lifetime — and probably not in yours. The core question is: To what extent can the savagery be contained?

From the Atlantic coastline to the Suez Canal, struggling governments, impoverished populations and frankly backward societies struggle to find paths to modernization and to compete in a ruthless global economy. Religious fanatics for whom progress is a betrayal of faith hope to block development.

Still, if the only conflict was between Islamist terrorists and those who want civilized lives, the situation could be managed over time. But that struggle forms only one level in a layer cake of clashing visions and outright civil wars bedeviling a vast region. Much larger than Europe, the zone of contention encompasses the Maghreb, the countries touching the Mediterranean, and the Sahel, the bitterly poor states stretching down across desert wastes to the African savannah.

AFP/Getty Images

Figthers of the Islamic group Ansar Dine

The Sahel is the front line not only between the world of Islam and Christian-animist cultures in Africa’s heart, but between Arabs and light-skinned tribes in the north, and blacks to the south. No area in the world so explicitly illustrates the late, great Samuel Huntington’s concept of “the clash of civilizations.”

If racial and religious differences were not challenge enough, in the Maghreb the factions and interest groups are still more complicated. We view Egypt as locked in a contest between Islamists and “our guys,” Egyptians seeking new freedoms. But Egypt’s identity struggle is far more complex, involving social liberals, moderate Muslims, stern conservative Muslims (such as the Muslim Brotherhood) and outright fanatics. The military forms another constituency, while the business community defends its selfish interests. Then there are the supporters of the old Mubarak regime, the masses of educated-but-unemployed youth and the bitterly poor peasants.

Atop all that there’s the question of whether the values cherished by Arab societies can adapt to a globalized world.

The path to Egypt’s future will not be smooth — yet Egypt’s chances are better than those of many of its neighbors. Consider a few key countries in the region:

Mali

Viva la France! (Never thought I’d write that in The Post.) Contrary to a lot of media nonsense, the effective French intervention in Mali demonstrates that not every military response to Islamist terror has to become another Afghanistan: The French are welcome.

As extremists invariably do, al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its allies rapidly alienated their fellow Muslims — after hijacking a local uprising. The local version of Islam is far more humane and tolerant than the Wahhabi cult imposed by Islamist fanatics. To the foreign extremists, the Malian love of Sufi mysticism, ancient shrines and their own centuries of religious scholarship are all hateful — as is the Malian genius for music that’s pleased listeners around the world.

Have a comment on this PostOpinion column? Send it in to LETTERS@NYPOST.COM!

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Hollywood cardiologist’s ties with St. Jude sales rep raises red flags

Mark Sabbota, a Hollywood cardiologist, regularly implants $5,000 pacemakers in patients at Memorial hospitals in South Broward — generating, last year alone, more than a half-million dollars in sales for a manufacturer called St. Jude Medical.

Sabbota, public records show, also happens to be partners with a St. Jude sales rep in two corporations that run frozen yogurt shops.

What’s yogurt got to do with healthcare?

Perhaps nothing. Perhaps a lot. The question is connected to an on-going lobbying battle in Washington over a pending disclosure policy intended to more clearly reveal financial ties between physicians and the healthcare industry — often-murky relationships that have produced a long history of whistle-blower lawsuits, federal investigations and fines.

Sabbota, in a brief interview, adamantly denied any conflict of interest. “There has been no wrongdoing at all,” he said.

Memorial spokeswoman Kerting Baldwin also said the hospital saw no problem with the yogurt arrangement. As a “community” doctor, not a staff employee, Baldwin said Sabbota can select from a list of pacemakers approved by the hospital but has no say over what companies made the list.

“As for why he prefers to use St. Jude, I won’t speak for him,’’ she said. “You’d have to ask him that.”

But several medical ethics experts said such relationships fall in a gray area. They raise what Kenneth Goodman, bioethics director at the University of Miami, called “red flags” about whether the doctor’s motivation in choosing a device “is something other than the best interests of the patient.”

“Maybe it’s just a good business arrangement that has nothing to do with the devices he chooses,” said Charles D. Rosen, a California physician who is co-founder of the Association for Medical Ethics. “But the issue is public disclosure and transparency. You as a patient should have the right to know about a doctor’s financial relationships with companies.”

Concerns about the relationship between doctors and healthcare companies have been simmering for years. Americans are so suspicious of doctors’ connections that, in a 2008 Pew Charitable Trusts survey, 86 percent of patients said doctors should not be allowed to get free dinners from drug makers and 70 percent said doctors shouldn’t even be allowed to get free notepads and pens.

The 2010 Affordable Care Act includes a provision intended to address some aspects of these often-cozy relationships. Starting Jan. 1, healthcare companies were supposed to publicly post how much they were paying doctors. But that provision has been held up in the White House by intense lobbying.

“I don’t know why the hold-up, except the intense opposition of the industry,” Rosen said. His group, including members of the Harvard Medical School and Cleveland Clinic, wrote a letter to the Obama administration last month protesting the delay.

The group complains that the healthcare industry is trying to soften the rules so that foreign subsidiaries and doctors engaged in clinical trials wouldn’t have to reveal payments. But even if the disclosure rules are implemented, a side deal like Sabbota’s yogurt company would not have to be revealed under the new law, Rosen said.

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