New York Public Personnel Law: Selected Reports issued by the Office of the State Comptroller during the week ending January 9, 2016

Selected Reports issued by the Office of the State Comptroller during the week ending January 9, 2016

Click on text highlighted in color to access the full report

Former Wallkill fire district chair sentenced in $240,000 theft

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli reported that on January 8, 2016 former Wallkill Fire District board chair Michael Denardo was sentenced in Ulster County Court for stealing nearly $240,000 from the district. He pleaded guilty to grand larceny in the third degree, a class D felony, and three counts of criminal tax fraud in the fifth degree, a misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 2 1/3 to 7years in prison and to pay $239,622 restitution.

Denardo;s three-year scam was initially revealed in an audit and investigation by DiNapoli’s office, which found that Denardo convinced the treasurer to give him blank checks and another board member to sign them. He deposited the checks, laundered the money through his wife's account and submitted fake bills to the district.

Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright thanked the Comptroller and his staff “for their diligent work on this case [as] a valued partner in our efforts to combat fraud crimes in Ulster County.”

The Comptroller’s audit concluded that Denardo could not have committed his crimes if the fire district board enforced proper controls. DiNapoli recommended that the district. The Fire District officials agreed with the audit findings and submitted a 14-point corrective action plan to the Comptroller’s office.

The Comptroller findings and the fire district’s full response are in the final audit report, which can be viewed by clicking on the URL set out below.

http://osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/firedists/2016/wallkill.pdf.

Theft of State Pension Benefits
New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced the sentencing of Terence Fitzpatrick, 53, of Monmouth County, N.J., following his guilty plea in November 2015 to the crime of Attempted Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class D felony, in Albany County Court. Fitzpatrick was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation.

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jan16/010716a.htm?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010716arelease

NYC Pre-K Special Education Provider claimed almost $3 million in ineligible expenses
A Brooklyn preschool special education provider, Yeled v’Yalda Early Childhood Center, claimed nearly $3 million in ineligible expenses for reimbursement, according to and audit released by the Comptroller.

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jan16/010616b.htm?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010616brelease

Municipal Audits Released

Central NY Regional Market Authority – Internal Controls Over Selected Fiscal Operations

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/schools/2015/piseco.pdf?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010616arelease

Town of Coeymans – Financial Condition

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2015/coeymans.pdf?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010616release

Village of Green Island – Water Fund Financial Condition

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/villages/2015/greenisland.pdf?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010616release

Town of Peterburgh - Internal Controls Over Selected Fiscal Operations and the Justice Court

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/towns/2015/petersburghjc.pdf?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010616release

Village of Pomona – Financial Condition

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/localgov/audits/villages/2015/pomona.pdf?utm_source=weeklynews20160110&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=010616release