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November 17, 2021

Woman arrested for allegedly stealing and cashing her deceased sister's NYS Employees' Retirement System retirement benefit checks

On November 16, 2021, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the arrest of Latrenda Dixon for the alleged theft*of some $8,000 in retirement benefits sent to her deceased sister by the New York State Employees' Retirement System. 

Dixon, 52, of the Bronx is charged with illegally cashing 20 checks in Brooklyn for nearly $8,000 issued by the New York State and Local Retirement System to her deceased sister, Linda Dixon. She cashed the checks using her sister’s state employee ID at a check cashing location.

“Ms. Dixon attempted to scam the pension system by allegedly pretending to be her deceased sister,” DiNapoli said. “My thanks to District Attorney Gonzalez for his continued partnership in safeguarding the New York State and Local Retirement System.”

“Stealing from the state pension system is not a victimless crime; law abiding taxpayers end up paying the price,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Gonzalez. “I would like to thank State Comptroller DiNapoli for all of the work his agency did to bring this defendant to justice. We will now seek to hold her accountable for her alleged actions.”

Dixon was charged with grand larceny in the third and fourth degree; scheme to defraud in the first and second degree; identity theft in the first and second degree; 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the first degree; 20 counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, and criminal possession of stolen property in the third and fourth degree.

She was arraigned in Kings County court and released without bail on her own recognizance. Dixon is due back in court Nov. 30, 2021.

This case was investigated by the Office of the State Comptroller’s Division of Investigations in partnership with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted on behalf of the Brooklyn D.A.’s Office by Senior Assistant District Attorney Nicole Manini, of the District Attorney’s Green Zone Trial Bureau, under the Supervision of Assistant District Attorney Glenn Singer, Assistant District Attorney Sara Kurtzberg, and Assistant District Attorney Sasha Pemberton, Green Zone Deputy Bureau Chiefs. 

* N.B. These charges are accusations and the individual is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 

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