Village clerk caught stealing $1.2 MILLION is forced to give up her pension after auditors uncovered crafty method for swiping taxpayer funds

A New York municipality clerk and treasurer will beryllium sentenced to situation and forced to springiness up her pension aft stealing much than $1 cardinal during her tenure.

Ursula Stone, 56, pleaded blameworthy to public corruption and admitted to stealing $1,171,362 from the Village of Addison successful Steuben County over her 19-year career.

An audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli successful 2022 recovered Stone had been moving nan financial operations of nan colony pinch nary oversight.

Investigators said Stone gave herself unauthorized salary raises, took clip disconnected without deducting it from her time off credits and wrote herself checks for unauthorized wellness security buyouts.

'For astir 2 decades, Ursula Stone took advantage of her position and nan spot of Addison residents to shamelessly bargain complete a cardinal dollars,' DiNapoli said.

'Thanks to nan activity of my office, District Attorney Baker, and nan State Police, her crimes were uncovered, and she has been brought to justice. This lawsuit should nonstop a clear connection that those who dishonor their nationalist agency will look superior consequences.'

DiNapoli’s agency recovered Stone stole dozens of checks from nan Addison Central School District payable to nan colony by converting them to certified slope checks and past cashing them retired for herself.

The female had besides been cashing retired unused picnic clip since 2004, an action only disposable for labor who resigned aliases retired.

As unit from nan investigation mounted, Stone resigned from her position successful March 2023, but not earlier penning herself 1 last unauthorized cheque for $26,613.

The committee stopped costs connected nan cheque earlier she was capable to rate it.

She was arrested successful November and pled blameworthy to 1 felony count of corrupting nan government.

Stone will beryllium sentenced to service three-to-nine years successful authorities situation connected August 7, reported WHAM.

Steuben County Supreme Court Judge Patrick F. McAllister has besides ordered her to springiness up her monthly pension costs of $1,920 - making her nan first personification successful nan authorities to look that reward nether a 2011 law.

'The magnitude, scope, long and pervasiveness of this criminal activity is perfectly stunning,' said Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker.

'For astir 2 decades, Ursula Stone abused nan spot of nan group of nan Village of Addison, utilizing her position to bargain from their taxes, their schools and their community. The effect of her criminal acts connected this organization has been and will beryllium felt for decades.'