Kerik, whose corruption trial had been due to start next week, also admitted as part of his guilty plea that he had received apartment renovations from a construction firm suspected of organized crime ties and had helped the company win city contracts.

Kerik was a close friend of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was New York's police commissioner the day of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

His career began to unravel upon being subjected to background checks when President George W. Bush nominated him in 2004 to become Homeland Security secretary.

Looking somber as he appeared in federal court in White Plains, New York, Kerik pleaded guilty to eight charges in the deal. He had faced up to 30 years in prison on the most serious charge.

He faces formal sentencing on February 8, 2010. He has been in prison since late last month.

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