WILLSBORO, N.Y. — Bridget Brown, the former treasurer of the Essex County Agricultural Society and former Willsboro town clerk/tax collector, recently pled guilty to stealing nearly $90,000 from the society and the town, according to an announcement from state comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.
“Bridget Brown exploited the trust of her community and used her two positions to enrich herself at taxpayer expense,” DiNapoli said in the announcement that he issued in conjunction with Franklin County District Attorney Elizabeth Crawford and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
From 2013-2019, Brown worked for the Essex County Agricultural Society — a nonprofit with a mission to promote agriculture through the Essex County Fair. She served as Willsboro town clerk/tax collector from 2014-2021, when she lost her re-election bid.
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Investigators found that while working for the society, Brown overpaid herself and made unauthorized ATM withdrawals and personal purchases using the society’s bank account. She also used $5,300 of society funds to repay a personal loan. To facilitate her theft, she falsified the fair’s business records, according to the comptroller. Brown also obtained an unauthorized $20,000 loan on behalf of the fair, which the society’s board was unaware of and did not approve, to cover up her theft. In total, she is accused of stealing about $60,000 from the society.
Considering her actions as the county fair treasurer, an examination was launched into Brown’s activities in the Town of Willsboro, DiNapoli’s announcement stated. An investigation and forensic audit determined that during Brown’s tenure as town clerk/tax collector, she stole about $29,000 from taxes, licenses, and landfill fees by pocketing cash payments rather than depositing the funds into the town’s account. The forensic analysis revealed that on certain days when Brown collected cash for the town there were corresponding nearly identical cash deposits into her personal bank account.
Brown appeared in Essex County Court where she pled guilty to second-degree grand larceny in relation to the funds stolen from the fair and third-degree grand larceny as a crime of public corruption related to the theft from Willsboro. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 25. As part of negotiated plea agreement and her conditions of probation, Brown will pay full restitution back to the town and the society.
The Franklin County District Attorney’s Office served as special prosecutor, with Executive Assistant District Attorney Alyxandra Stanczak assigned.
