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Hamburg Recreation Worker Sentenced to Jail and Probation for Stealing $156K

The village of Hamburg’s recreation attendant was sentenced today to three months of weekends in jail and five years of probation for her theft of $156,374, which she has now repaid. Joanne Erickson skimmed money from village fees, then altered public records to conceal her crime, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn.

DiNapoli: Majority of Cities and Villages Statewide Below Fiscal Stress Threshold

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli’s Fiscal Stress Monitoring System has identified seven villages and three cities in New York in some level of fiscal stress in 2018. DiNapoli evaluated all non-calendar year local governments and designated two cities in “significant fiscal stress,” three villages and one city in “moderate fiscal stress” and four villages as “susceptible to fiscal stress.”

Gingerbread Learning Center Executive Director and Wife Convicted in Nearly $800,000 Theft of Public Funds

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Richmond County District Attorney Michael E. McMahon announced that Dennis Mosesman and Elsie Mosesman pleaded guilty today to grand larceny in the second degree for stealing more than $770,000 in public funds meant for special needs pre-schoolers at the Gingerbread Learning Center in Staten Island. They must pay back $625,000 in restitution and $175,000 in asset forfeiture by June 18. They also will receive five years of probation.

Former Fire Co. Treasurer Admits Stealing $24K

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.