Wendy Wharton, former Citizens Hose Fire Company treasurer, pleaded guilty to felony grand larceny and was ordered to repay $24,440, after an audit and investigation by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli exposed her crimes. DiNapoli’s office partnered with Ontario County Sheriff Philip C. Povero and Ontario County District Attorney James Ritts on the case.

Wharton, 54, of Manchester, stole thousands of dollars by pocketing cash, using the fire company’s credit cards and stole checks to gamble at casinos in the Finger Lakes, Central New York and Las Vegas.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the following school district audits have been issued.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced the guilty plea of Earnestine Russell to grand larceny in the third degree for stealing grant money from a state-administered, federally-funded grant to support after-school programs for middle school children. Russell was sentenced to one year in jail and must pay back $61,098.

"New York's revenue picture is increasingly challenged. The final January revenue numbers for the state released by my office today confirm the substantial shortfall the Governor and I announced earlier this month. In addition, the Division of the Budget's updated financial plan reduces projected tax receipts in the coming years by billions of dollars.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the following municipal audits have been issued.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund), today announced that the Fund has reached an agreement with Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. to fully disclose its political spending and has filed shareholder proposals seeking the same disclosure from eight more of the Fund’s portfolio companies, including Duke Energy Corp. and Wynn Resorts Ltd.

The former West Hurley Fire District chief and a current fire commissioner were both arrested today for abusing their authority and costing the district over $30,000 in funds since 2012, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Ulster County District Attorney Holley Carnright.

David Gutierrez, 52, and Michael "Bucky" VanValkenburgh, 44, both of West Hurley, were charged with Corrupting the Government and Official Misconduct and arraigned in Hurley Town Court. Gutierrez, who stepped down as chief is still serving as a captain.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today the following audits and examinations have been issued.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today that he has appointed Nelson Sheingold as Counsel to the Comptroller, to take effect in early March. He will direct all legal affairs for the Office of the State Comptroller and continue to lead efforts to fight public corruption.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund’s (Fund) estimated return in the third quarter of the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2018-19 was -7.17 percent for the three-month period ending Dec. 31, 2018, with an estimated value of $197.3 billion, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.