Stole over $25K in payments made to her deceased mother GENESEO — Patricia Chatley, 61, of Nunda in Livingston County, recently pled guilty to stealing more than $25,000 in New York State pension payments made to her deceased mother. State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Livingston County District Attorney Ashley Williams, and New York State Police […]
Stole over $25K in payments made to her deceased mother
GENESEO — Patricia Chatley, 61, of Nunda in Livingston County, recently pled guilty to stealing more than $25,000 in New York State pension payments made to her deceased mother.
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Livingston County District Attorney Ashley Williams, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the guilty plea on June 11.
“Ms. Chatley hid her mother’s death to try to steal from the state retirement system and line her own pockets,” DiNapoli said in the announcement. “Thanks to District Attorney Williams and the New York State Police, she is being held accountable for her crime. My office will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies across the state and country to protect the New York state pension system from fraud.”
Chatley’s mother worked for the Livingston County Department of Social Services and retired in 1994. Upon her retirement, she received monthly benefits of about $1,000, which should have ended upon her death on Jan. 5, 2020.
DiNapoli’s office said it became aware of Chatley’s mother’s death after receiving an anonymous tip and started an investigation. The probe found that between January 2020 and June 30, 2022, Chatley collected unauthorized payments that were meant for her deceased mother totaling $25,775.
DiNapoli’s forensic audit revealed that Chatley, who works for the Dalton-Nunda Central School District, never notified the bank or the New York State and Local Retirement System of her mother’s death. Instead, Chatley transferred the pension-fund payments to her personal account, from which she then withdrew and spent the money, the comptroller’s office stated.
Chatley pled guilty to grand larceny in the third degree. She was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in Livingston County Court in Geneseo before Judge Kevin B. Van Allen.
