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By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former finance director at a New York foundation accused of participating in a scheme to bribe a former United Nations General Assembly president on Thursday became the first defendant to plead guilty in the case. The guilty plea by Heidi Hong Piao to five counts, including bribery and money laundering, is a major break for U.S. prosecutors examining an alleged conspiracy to bribe John Ashe, the former General Assembly president. Piao, 52, who was also known as Heidi Park, agreed to cooperate with authorities as she admitted to having agreed with others to funnel illegal payments to Ashe, who was also the U.N. ambassador from Antigua and Barbuda.More...