An upstate village clerk accused of swiping greater than $1 million — about the identical quantity as her city’s complete annual price range — will quit her pension in a historic New York forfeiture case.
Disgraced former Addison worker Ursula Stone, 55, allegedly stole $1,171,362 in village funds over a minimum of 19 years — and is now the primary politician to fork over her pension beneath New York’s anti-corruption regulation, state and county officers introduced late final week.
“This case represents essentially the most full, and to be frank – stunning, breach of public belief I’ve encountered in 30 years as a Steuben County prosecutor,” Steuben County District Legal professional Brooks Baker stated in an announcement.
“The fact is that however for some actual heads-up detection work by members of the State Comptroller’s workers it could nonetheless be ongoing.”
Stone appeared in Steuben County Courtroom on Thursday and agreed to forfeit her pension of $1,920 a month, The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.
State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli stated it marked New York’s first pension forfeiture beneath anti-corruption measures handed as a part of an ethics-reform package deal in 2011 and expanded in 2017.
Although the regulation had by no means been wielded in court docket earlier than, Stone’s case was an ideal match as a result of her alleged crimes “impacted that village on a day-to-day foundation,” Baker stated, in line with the outlet.
A 2022 audit of the village by DiNapoli’s workplace discovered that Stone had been overseeing the village’s funds with no oversight or accountability, officers stated.
She ready payroll, maintained handbook depart information and processed medical health insurance buyouts in addition to unused depart funds – all with out approval from the mayor or different village officers.
Stone allegedly used her entry to the books for her personal profit: giving herself raises, taking time without work with out deducting it from her depart credit and slicing checks that granted herself unauthorized medical health insurance buyouts from village funds, authorities stated.
She can also be accused of stealing the native faculty district’s checks – in addition to dozens of different checks payable to the village – earlier than changing them to financial institution checks and cashing them, authorities stated.
The investigation – performed by DiNapoli’s workplace, the New York State Police and the Steuben County District Legal professional’s Workplace – additionally discovered that Stone had additionally been cashing out unused trip time since 2004, in line with authorities.
Solely retirees or resigned workers are allowed to take such motion, officers stated.
As authorities regularly uncovered her scheme, Stone resigned in March 2023 – however not earlier than allegedly writing herself one final unauthorized verify for $26,613.
The board stopped cost on the verify earlier than Stone might money it.
“For nicely over a decade, Ursula Stone took benefit of her place and the belief of Addison residents to systematically steal over one million {dollars} from her group,” DiNapoli stated in an announcement. “Because of the work of my workplace and our partnership with District Legal professional Baker and the State Police, her crimes had been uncovered, and he or she now faces the results of her actions.”
Whereas Stone owned as much as stealing greater than $100,000, she contested prosecutors’ calculation of greater than $1 million, in line with the Democrat and Chronicle.
Stone was ordered held on $20,000 bail throughout her arraignment earlier than Choose Chauncey Watches.
She is due again in court docket Jan. 24.
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