The jury in U.S. District Court in Manhattan found James Grant, who was a deputy inspector in the New York Police Department, not guilty on all charges. Still, jurors decided to convict one of the businessmen, Jeremy Reichberg, on several bribery and conspiracy charges involving other police officials.

The jury found Reichberg not guilty on one count — that he had paid bribes to Grant.

The verdict appeared to reflect the higher bar the U.S. Supreme Court has set for public corruption cases with its 2016 ruling that reversed the bribery conviction of the former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell. In that ruling, the court determined that making introductions or setting up meetings, even in exchange for gifts or financial benefits, did not constitute a crime.

Over several weeks, federal prosecutors presented evidence they said documented years of corruption in which high-ranking police officials provided favors to Reichberg and a second businessman, Jona S. Rechnitz. In return, prosecutors said, the officers received gifts, all-expenses-paid trips on private jets and access to prostitutes.

But after deliberating over three days for nearly 17 hours, the jurors said prosecutors failed to prove Grant had done official favors in return for the gifts. One juror noted Reichberg and Grant were longtime friends.

Throughout the trial, the defense maintained there was nothing criminal about the transactions between Grant, 45, and Reichberg, 44.

“Grant was a flunky, a pawn to Rechnitz and Reichberg,” said one juror, Ives Bonilla, 67, of the Bronx. “He was overwhelmed by their wealth. He was razzled, dazzled by the millions they were talking about and spending.”

Part of the government’s case relied on testimony from Rechnitz, the wealthy son of a real estate developer who pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud as part of the investigation that led to charges against the two defendants.

Lawyers for Grant and Reichberg argued Rechnitz gave false testimony against their clients in a bid to get a lighter sentence.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.