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NEWS from the Office of the New York State Comptroller
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DiNapoli: Buffalo Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Her Deceased Grandmother's State Pension Payments

A 55-year-old Buffalo woman pleaded guilty to stealing more than $54,715 in state pension payments meant for her deceased grandmother, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced today. The defendant, Bernadette Russell, was convicted of grand larceny.

DiNapoli: The South Bronx Sees Economic Growth Despite Pandemic Challenges

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the South Bronx especially hard, but the area’s economy has shown resiliency, according to a report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“The South Bronx was hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic but was resilient because of dedicated and hardworking neighborhood groups and advocates, and the strength of its residents,” said DiNapoli. “Still, the need for more affordable housing, jobs and quality of life improvements remains pivotal to the community’s long-term success.”

DiNapoli Urges Companies to Join Workplace Pledge to Fight Antisemitism

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, trustee of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund), sent letters to 50 major portfolio companies, including Tesla Inc., Meta Platforms Inc, Microsoft Corp. and NIKE Inc., urging them to join the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Workplace Pledge to Fight Antisemitism. DiNapoli announced his action Saturday night at the Stand With Israel event at the Hampton Synagogue in Westhampton Beach.

DiNapoli and Oneida DA McNamara Announce Arrests of Utica School Superintendent and Former Utica Mayor for Theft of Public Funds

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, and the New York State Police today announced the arrest of the long-time superintendent of the Utica City School District (UCSD) Bruce Karam and the former Utica Mayor and UCSD School Board President Louis LaPolla for allegedly using taxpayer funds to pay for political campaigns and a non-school related fundraiser.

DiNapoli: Shift in MTA's Paratransit Program Generates Cost Savings

Costs for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) program to provide transportation services for people with disabilities have declined in recent years, in part due to the MTA’s move to alternative transit services that provided $102.7 million in savings in 2022, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Still, some measures of customer satisfaction initially deteriorated as a result of the move to “broker services” and must be monitored to ensure quality service.

DiNapoli: State Pension Fund Valued at $246.3 Billion at End of Second Quarter

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that the estimated value of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) was $246.3 billion at the end of the second quarter of State Fiscal Year 2023-24. For the three-month period ending Sept. 30, 2023, Fund investments returned an estimated -1.59%.

DiNapoli: Georgia Woman Sentenced to Over a Year in Prison and Ordered to Pay $459K in Full Restitution for Stealing NYS Pension and Social Security Payments

A 50-year-old Georgia woman, Sandra Smith, was sentenced to over a year in federal prison and ordered to pay full restitution after admitting she stole $459,050 in New York state pension and federal social security payments from her deceased mother-in-law’s bank account, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Ryan K. Buchanan, and Inspector General for the Social Security Administration Gail S. Ennis announced today.