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Public Corruption

Politics
Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month
Here's How Much Cuomo Will Be Collecting In Pension Payments Each Month Andrew Cuomo is no longer sitting inside the Governor’s Mansion in Albany, but he is still collecting a hefty paycheck from New York State. The embattled former governor, who resigned over the summer following an investigation into nearly a dozen of complaints of sexual harassment, received his first pension check last month to the tune of $4,219.11, according to the New York State comptroller’s office. His first payment was sent in October 2021, officials said. Cuomo's annual benefits add up to $50,629.32, which he will get the amount for the rest of his life, plus future cost of living …

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester Waste Hauler Charged With Cooking Books To Spend At Strip Clubs Westchester Waste Hauler Charged With Cooking Books To Spend At Strip Clubs
Westchester Waste Hauler Charged With Cooking Books To Spend At Strip Clubs The manager of a company that provides solid waste removal and recyclables in Westchester County is facing charges for allegedly falsifying financial data to cover up exorbitant spending at strip clubs, the District Attorney announced. Westchester County DA Mimi Rocah announced that Darien resident Christopher Oxer, a manager at City Carting of Westchester, which receives more than $20 million annually under its contract with the county, is facing charges for falsifying financial data in an attempt to dupe a monitor tasked with overseeing that contract. Under a contract with the county tha…

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by Zak Failla
News
Former City Counsel In Westchester Sentenced For Corruption Conviction Former City Counsel In Westchester Sentenced For Corruption Conviction
Former City Counsel In Westchester Sentenced For Corruption Conviction The former top lawyer for the City of Mount Vernon will avoid immediate prison time as he appeals his sentence for corruption involving former Mayor Richard Thomas. Lawrence Porcari Jr. was found guilty by a jury of corrupting government, second-degree grand larceny, degrading government, and filing false statements for using $365,000 from the city’s water funds to assist Thomas, who was ousted out of office last year. On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Porcari was sentenced to 1 to 3 years in prison, but he will remain free without bail while he appeals his conviction. He had faced a maximum term of 2…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mount Vernon Mayor Admits To Misdemeanors In Campaign Funds Misuse Case, Agrees To Resign Mount Vernon Mayor Admits To Misdemeanors In Campaign Funds Misuse Case, Agrees To Resign
Mount Vernon Mayor Admits To Misdemeanors In Campaign Funds Misuse Case, Agrees To Resign Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas has admitted to a pair of misdemeanors for misappropriating campaign funds and has agreed to resign from his position. As part of a plea deal, Thomas pleaded guilty to fourth-degree attempted grand larceny and second-degree offering a false statement for filing on Monday, July 8. Thomas will resign as mayor on Monday, Sept. 30. Thomas admitted that he stole $12,900 from his campaign committee in 2015 and failed to report the receipt of $4,000 and falsely claimed that a $2,500 payment was a reimbursement. According to the criminal complaint, prior to Th…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
City Council Demands Top Mount Vernon City Lawyer Steps Down After Indictment City Council Demands Top Mount Vernon City Lawyer Steps Down After Indictment
City Council Demands Top Mount Vernon City Lawyer Steps Down After Indictment City officials in Mount Vernon are calling on their top attorney to step down after he was indicted for allegedly using Water Department funds to help pay for Mayor Richard Thomas’ criminal defense legal team and hire a public relations firm. Lawrence Porcari Jr., the city’s Corporation Counsel pleaded not guilty in Westchester County Court on Wednesday, May 29, to a felony charge of first-degree corrupting the government. He allegedly was involved in using $365,000 from the city’s water department to assist the mayor. Porcari was also charged with one count of grand larceny as a crime of p…

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by Zak Failla
News
City Counsel In Mount Vernon Charged In State AG's Investigation City Counsel In Mount Vernon Charged In State AG's Investigation
City Counsel In Mount Vernon Charged In State AG's Investigation One of Mount Vernon’s top lawyers was in an unfamiliar position in court on Wednesday when he was indicted for allegedly using city water department funds to help pay for Mayor Richard Thomas’ criminal defense legal team and hire a public relations firm. Lawrence Porcari Jr., the city’s Corporation Counsel pleaded not guilty in Westchester County Court on Wednesday, May 29, to a felony charge of first-degree corrupting the government. He allegedly was involved in using $365,000 from the city’s water department to assist the mayor. Porcari was also charged with one count of grand larceny as …

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by Zak Failla
News
Ex-Chief Sentenced For Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester Ex-Chief Sentenced For Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester
Ex-Chief Sentenced For Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester A former fire chief and police officer will spend time behind bars after admitting to stealing more than $300,000 from a Northern Westchester fire department while he was a treasurer. Gerald Munson, who most recently served as the Croton-on-Hudson FD treasurer, pleaded guilty to grand larceny as a crime of public corruption after admitting to stealing $312,925 from the department earlier this year. On Wednesday, Munson was sentenced to a term of between a year-and-a-half and four-and-a-half years in state prison. Munson must also pay restitution to the fire department. Munson was in Westche…

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by Zak Failla
News
Supervisor In Hudson Valley Admits To Stealing Unemployment Benefits, Will Resign Supervisor In Hudson Valley Admits To Stealing Unemployment Benefits, Will Resign
Supervisor In Hudson Valley Admits To Stealing Unemployment Benefits, Will Resign A town supervisor in the Hudson Valley pleaded guilty to stealing unemployment benefits while he was being paid as an elected official and will resign from his position, according to the State Attorney General's Office. Alex Jamieson, supervisor of the town of Chester in Orange County, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of offering a false instrument for filing, the AG's Office said. Under the plea agreement, he is required to pay full restitution of $5,695, resign from his position, and will be sentenced to a conditional discharge, they added. Jamieson, who is paid $79,000 a year as sup…

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by Kathy Reakes
News
Ex-Chief Admits Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester Ex-Chief Admits Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester
Ex-Chief Admits Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester A former fire chief and police officer has admitted to stealing more than $300,000 from a Northern Westchester fire department while he was a treasurer. Gerald Munson, who most recently served as the Croton-on-Hudson FD treasurer, has pleaded guilty to grand larceny as a crime of public corruption after admitting to stealing $312,925 from the department. Munson was in Westchester County Court on Wednesday. At the time of his plea, he paid $124,383 in restitution, adding to the $25,000 he paid upon his arraignment.  Munson is due to be sentenced on Oct. 29, when he is expected to pay the re…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Cuomo Cronies Found Guilty In Bid-Rigging Scheme Trial Cuomo Cronies Found Guilty In Bid-Rigging Scheme Trial
Cuomo Cronies Found Guilty In Bid-Rigging Scheme Trial The former president of SUNY Polytechnic Institute and three real estate developers and close confidants of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo have been found guilty on fraud and conspiracy charges in connection to rigging bids regarding the Buffalo Billion construction project, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Alain Kaloyeros, a former member of the Cuomo administration, was convicted of all three counts against him in court, including conspiracy and two counts of wire fraud this week. Three of Kaloyeros’ co-conspirators, upstate real estate developers Louis Ciminelli, Steven Aiello …

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by Zak Failla
News
Ex-School Secretary Sentenced For Stealing Funds From Westchester District Ex-School Secretary Sentenced For Stealing Funds From Westchester District
Ex-School Secretary Sentenced For Stealing Funds From Westchester District A longtime Tarrytown Union Free School District secretary and Putnam County resident has been sentenced to probation and must pay restitution after stealing more than $10,000 from her employer. Lake Peekskill resident Carol Ressa, 54, has been sentenced to five years probation in Westchester County Court, and ordered to finish paying restitution of the balance due to the school district, $2,929.56, during her first 12 months of probation. Ressa pleaded guilty in February to third-degree grand larceny as a public corruption crime, a felony. She was also ordered to pay a total of $10,000 in r…

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by Zak Failla
News
Ex-Chief Admits Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester Ex-Chief Admits Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester
Ex-Chief Admits Stealing $312K From Fire Department In Westchester A former fire department chief and police officer is facing up to 25 years behind bars after allegedly stealing more than $300,000 from the department in Northern Westchester. Gerald Munson, who most recently served as the Croton-on-Hudson Fire Department Treasurer, has been arraigned on several charges related to the theft of $312,925 from the department on Wednesday morning in Croton-on-Hudson Village Court. While acting as treasurer, Munson was tasked with maintaining the department’s bank account and financial records, despite having no prior qualifications or background in accounting o…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mount Vernor Mayor Thomas Will Give State Of City Amid Calls To Resign Mount Vernor Mayor Thomas Will Give State Of City Amid Calls To Resign
Mount Vernor Mayor Thomas Will Give State Of City Amid Calls To Resign With many calling for his resignation after he was brought up on corruption charges on Monday, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas is poised to deliver his annual State of the City address on Thursday, days after his arrest. New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced charges against Thomas on Monday afternoon, after an investigation exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree grand larce…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mayor In Westchester: Corruption 'Allegations Are Merely Accusations' Mayor In Westchester: Corruption 'Allegations Are Merely Accusations'
Mayor In Westchester: Corruption 'Allegations Are Merely Accusations' Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas is claiming that the criminal charges that were brought against him on Monday are “technical in nature relating to Election Law,” and are “merely accusations with no supporting evidence.” New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman formally announced charges against Thomas on Monday afternoon, after an investigation exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that information to officials. Thomas was charged with third-degree gra…

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by Zak Failla
Politics
Mount Vernon Mayor Used Campaign Funds As 'Personal Piggy Bank,' AG Says Mount Vernon Mayor Used Campaign Funds As 'Personal Piggy Bank,' AG Says
Mount Vernon Mayor Used Campaign Funds As 'Personal Piggy Bank,' AG Says Click here for a related story: Mount Vernon Mayor Denies Criminal Campaign Corruption Allegations Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas is facing multiple felonies after he allegedly stole campaign funds and lied about money he diverted from his inaugural committee for personal benefit. New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman formally announced charges against Thomas on Monday afternoon, after an investigation exposed that he allegedly stole $12,900 from his campaign committee and diverted more than $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and failed to disclose that i…

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by Zak Failla
Obituaries
Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train Was Real Estate Developer Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train Was Real Estate Developer
Man Struck, Killed By Metro-North Train Was Real Estate Developer The 55-year-old man struck and killed by a train near the Fairfield Metro-North station was a well-known real estate developer who previously had troubles with the law. MTA Police were called to the station after Fairfield resident Alfred Lenoci, Jr. was fatally struck by the train at approximately 5:15 a.m. on Wednesday morning, a Metro-North spokesperson said. The subsequent investigation determined that the incident was not an accident and no criminal activity is suspected. Lenoci served more than a year in prison after pleading guilty to bribing Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim. The bribes…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Elmsford Woman Busted For Allegedly Stealing $35,000 From School Elmsford Woman Busted For Allegedly Stealing $35,000 From School
Elmsford Woman Busted For Allegedly Stealing $35,000 From School Following the sentencing of a former New Rochelle schools director and contractor who were embroiled in a corruption scheme, a former secretary at the district is in hot water with the law after allegedly stealing more than $35,000 over a five-year scam. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. announced this week that Elmsford resident Marisol Martell, 37, who worked as a school secretary in New Rochelle was arraigned on a 49-count felony complaint in local court over the alleged theft. The felony complaint alleges that from October 2012, through February 2017, Martell us…

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by Zak Failla
News
Westchester School Employee Pleads Guilty To Stealing $10,000 From District Westchester School Employee Pleads Guilty To Stealing $10,000 From District
Westchester School Employee Pleads Guilty To Stealing $10,000 From District The longtime Tarrytown Union Free School District secretary and Putnam County resident accused of stealing more than $10,000 from her employer has pleaded guilty to a corruption charge. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. announced on Thursday that Lake Peekskill resident Carol Ressa, 53, has pleaded guilty to a felony count of third-degree grand larceny as a public corruption crime. According to Scarpino, between October 2011 and March last year, Ressa “used her position as a public employee to steal thousands of dollars from the Tarrytown Union Free School District,…

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by Zak Failla