Son ordered to pay the New York State and Local Retirement System the $56,000 he stole from his deceased mother’s Pension Funds

On September 3, 2024, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Moses K. Johnson, 63, of Huntington and a former employee of the Town of Huntington, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree for stealing more than $56,000 of his mother’s public pension payments following her death in April of 2021.

“Mr. Johnson callously exploited his mother’s death to line his own pockets,” said State Comptroller DiNapoli. “I thank Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney for his partnership in bringing him to justice. My office will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies across the state and country to protect the New York State pension system from fraud.”

“The defendant’s actions were not only illegal but morally reprehensible, stealing from his own deceased mother’s pension funds,” said District Attorney Tierney.

“This case highlights the importance of our ongoing collaboration with the State Comptroller’s Office in rooting out fraud and abuse. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of our pension systems and bring those who attempt to defraud them to justice.”

Moses’ arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney and the Office of the New York State Comptroller.

According to court documents and the defendant’s admissions during his guilty plea allocution, after Johnson’s mother died on April 16, 2021, Johnson failed to notify the bank or the New York State and Local Retirement System of her death and instead, he continued to collect and spend her pension payments.

Between April 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022, Johnson collected a total of 15 unauthorized payments totaling $56,411. The stolen funds were traced from Johnson’s mother’s bank account into his bank account, from which he then spent the money.

Johnson previously worked for the Town of Huntington for over 30 years and worked in the recycling center until his retirement in 2017. As a member of the state retirement system, Johnson was aware of the pension process and knew his mother’s payments should have been terminated with her death.

On October 11, 2023, Johnson was arrested by investigators of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.

On September 3, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven Pilewski. Justice Pilewski ordered Moses to pay restitution in the amount of $56,411. He is due back in court on Dec. 10, 2024.