The devastating number of job losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant increase in the number of residential customers owing money to their utility companies, with one in eight customers in arrears as of March 2022, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. More than 1.2 million customers statewide owed $1.8 billion with customers from New York City and Long Island comprising 60% of those in arrears and 68% of the amount owed.

Property tax levy growth will again be capped at 2% for 2023 for local governments that operate on a calendar-based fiscal year, according to data released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. This figure affects tax cap calculations for all counties, towns, and fire districts, as well as 44 cities and 13 villages.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced his nomination of Nancy G. Groenwegen to the Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government. Groenwegen previously served as counsel to the Comptroller from 2010 to 2019.

“Nancy is well known for her integrity and independence,” DiNapoli said. “New York is facing challenging times and needs an ethics commission that is committed to openness and accountability. Nancy’s character, knowledge and depth of experience will help New York meet those challenges and enhance the public’s faith in government.”

Too often Medicaid pays medical bills that a third-party insurer should have covered, and not enough is being done to make sure Medicaid recovers that money, according to an audit by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit found that a lack of oversight by the state Department of Health (DOH) and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) resulted in nearly $300 million in pharmacy claims that Medicaid never tried to recover from patients’ insurance providers.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced a Syosset man was sentenced today to up to ten-and-a-half years in prison for his role in a $12 million Ponzi scheme that targeted nearly 50 victims—many of them seniors—between 2015 and 2017.

Matthew Eckstein, 52, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2022, before Judge Teresa Corrigan to charges of Grand Larceny in the First Degree (a B felony) and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree (an E felony). The defendant was sentenced today to 3-1/2 to 10-1/2 years in prison.

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

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced the following local government audits were issued.