in january 2010, paterson awarded a contract to operate a 4,500 slot machine racino at the aqueduct race track to aqueduct race track entertainment group (aeg) in queens, new york. the appointment generated controversy because of charges that aeg, which had the worst bid of those bidding, was allowed to change its bid so that it had the best. paterson is reported to have demanded that the ownership have an affirmative action component. during this time, rapper jay-z, through his company gain global investments network, llc, then got a 7 percent ownership stake in aeg; charges were made that jay-z and paterson had a personal relationship. u.s. prosecutors were reported to be investigating the bidding process, particularly aeg winning the bid two days after queens megachurch pastor floyd flake (also an aeg investor) threatened to switch his support in the 2010 governor race from paterson to andrew cuomo. new york assembly speaker sheldon silver threatened not to sign off on the deal. paterson maintained there was no quid pro quo.