Page 3 - Retiree News Summer 2024

SUMMER 2024 3
Editor’s Note: The following column
is from State Comptroller Thomas P.
DiNapoli for retirees.
I have an anti-corruption initiative
which investigates fraud in
State and local governments,
as well as seeking to prevent
pension fraud and to protect your
NYSLRS benefits. My Division of
Investigations regularly partners
with federal, state and local law
enforcement in New York and
across the country to bring corrupt
individuals to justice and recoup
stolen NYSLRS money. Over the
past several years, our pension
fraud investigations have led to
over 50 arrests and the recovery of
nearly $6 million. Here is one of our
recent cases.
In May 2024, a joint investigation
between my office, the Rensselaer
County District Attorney and the
New York State Police led to the
arrest of an Albany woman and
man for allegedly stealing more
than $200,000 in pension and Social
From State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli:
Fighting Fraud and Protecting Retiree Pension Benefits
Security payments from an 86-year-
old retiree.
The defendants engaged in a
caretaking scheme that left the
elderly victim in deplorable living
conditions and resulted in home
foreclosure. They persuaded the
victim to let them pay his bills,
however, they did not pay the
victim’s mortgage, property taxes
or other bills for several years.
This caused the foreclosure of the
victim’s home, the repossession of
his vehicle, and his electricity to be
turned off.
As a result of the investigation,
the victim was removed from the
home and received necessary
treatment. The matter is still
pending in court.
In 2017, a New York State and
Local Retirement System (NYSLRS)
pensioner who had retired from
the Nassau County Clerk’s Office in
1992, moved to Wyoming with his
son. The pensioner was never heard
from again and it is believed he died
in Wyoming. His pension payments
should have stopped when he died,
but his son never reported his
death.
In fact, the son went to great
lengths to conceal his father’s death
and continue receiving his pension
and Social Security payments.
He even whitened his hair and
eyebrows to impersonate his
deceased father.
But a call to the Office of the
State Comptroller’s Fraud Hotline
prompted an investigation, which
included the U.S. Attorney’s Office,
the Social Security Administration,
the U.S. Postal Inspection Service
and the FBI.
The son was arrested on federal
fraud charges in 2023. In February
2024, the son was sentenced to
five years in prison and ordered
to repay the $194,000 he stole in
NYSLRS pension and Social Security
benefits.
In addition, working closely with
prosecutors and law enforcement
across the nation and locally, our
investigators have uncovered
dozens of cases of pension fraud in
the past several years.
You Can Help Fight Fraud
If you are aware of potential
pension fraud, file a complaint
online (www.osc.ny.gov/
investigations) or call the Fraud
Hotline at 888-672-4555.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, center, meets with CSEA Tri County
Local 914 members Don Page and Paul Stone, both of whom retired from
Central New York DDSO.
The earnings limit for retirees
employed by school
districts and Boards of
Cooperative Educational Services
(BOCES) is suspended through
June 30, 2025. The earnings limit
suspension does not apply to
retirees who work for a college,
university or charter school. For
most retirees who work for a
public employer after retirement,
the limit is $35,000.
Earnings Limit Suspended for School
District and BOCES Employees
I saved thousands of dollars
with my MetLife Legal Plan
available with our CSEA
membership. I feel good
knowing that when it’s my time,
my estate is in order, wishes
will be followed and my loved
ones won’t have to go through
the probate process, which can
be very costly. ”
“
Linda Bryant,
Westchester
Retirees Local
921 President
Testimonial for
MetLife Legal Plan
What members are saying about
our union’s member benefits