Other

Subscribe to Other

DiNapoli: Three Syracuse School District Employees Charged With Fraud in Scheme

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick announced today that three employees of the Syracuse City School District’s after-school Twilight Program were arrested for engaging in several schemes to defraud the program following a joint investigation. Jason Cecile, Tina DeCarlo and Nichole Murray were charged with Defrauding the Government (Penal Law §195.20(a)(i)) and Corrupting the Government in the Third Degree (Penal Law §496.03).

Savings Programs: NY 529 and NY ABLE

Residents can take advantage of two savings programs with tax benefits that help pay for college or disability expenses:

  • NY's 529 College Savings
  • NY Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)

Comptroller DiNapoli administers the Direct Plan component of the college savings program with the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation. He is also trustee of the NY ABLE program and oversees all of its assets.  

Sexual Harassment Policy for the Office of the State Comptroller

Introduction

The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) is committed to maintaining a workplace free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of workplace sex discrimination. All employees are required to work in a manner that prevents sexual harassment in the workplace. This Policy is one component of OSC’s commitment to a discrimination-free work environment.

Abandoned Property

Comptroller DiNapoli's Legislative Program

Legislative Session 2021-2022:

Abandoned Property – Signed into law on November 22, 2022 as Chapter 640 of the Laws of 2022 – A.7742-A/S.9360 (Lavine/Thomas) – Provides coverage for virtual currency, authorizes the promulgation of regulations related to electronic communications, and recognizes the death of an owner as a trigger for dormancy.

        

State Comptroller DiNapoli Releases Municipal Audits

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

Auditors conducted reviews of 20 adopted budgets of various counties, cities, towns and villages across the state to assess whether local officials adequately considered the impact of the pandemic on their financial operations while developing their 2021 fiscal year budgets. Below are the findings of some of the communities reviewed:

ABLE Residency

Comptroller DiNapoli's Legislative Program

Legislative Session 2021-2022:

ABLE Residency – Signed into law on July 26, 2022 as Chapter 478 of the Laws of 2022 - A.7652/S.9335 (Gunther/Brouk) - Eliminates the New York State residency requirement for designated beneficiaries in the New York ABLE program.

        

Data Breach

Comptroller DiNapoli's Legislative Program

Legislative Session 2021-2022:

Data Breach – Signed into law on December 22, 2021 as Chapter 796 of the Laws of 2021 – A.7612 (Otis) - Requires the Office of Information Technology Services to notify, within 24 hours following the discovery of a data breach or receiving notice of a data breach or network security breach, the chief information officer or, where appropriate, the chief information security officer of a state entity with which the office shares data of suc

        

Ordinary Death Benefit

Comptroller DiNapoli's Legislative Program

Legislative Session 2021-2022:

Ordinary Death Benefit – Signed into law on December 16, 2022 as Chapter 720 of the laws of 2022 – A.7730/S.6619-A (Abbate/Gounardes) - Increases the age at which the ordinary death benefit commences to be reduced while a member of the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) and the New York State Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) is in service to the full retirement age.

        

DiNapoli: Former School District Treasurer Sentenced for Stealing Funds

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced Kristina Hand was sentenced in federal court for stealing $34,000 from the Morris Central School District in Otsego County.

Hand, 47, of Morris, pled guilty last September to two counts of federal program theft, for stealing from a school district that received federal funds. She was sentenced Thursday to two years of probation and ordered to serve 50 hours of community service. Hand was also ordered to pay $34,000 in restitution.