Greene County couple charged with theft of $35K in pension payments

CATSKILL, N.Y. — New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Greene County District Attorney Joseph Stanzione, and the New York State Police Superintendent Stephen G. James on April 16 announced the arrest of a Tannersville couple, Kelly Tuomey, 56, and her husband, Stephen B. Tuomey, 60, for allegedly stealing more than $35,000 in pension payments. The Tuomeys appeared in the Town of Catskill Court before Judge Richard Jacobs. Kelly Tuomey was charged with two counts of grand larceny in the third degree and eight counts of forgery. Stephen Tuomey was charged with one count of grand larceny in the third degree. Both defendants were due back in court on May 1.

Allegation details

Stephen B. Tuomey’s father retired from the New York State Office of General Services as a food-service worker in May 1997 and subsequently received monthly state pension payments via direct deposit into a joint checking account that he shared with the defendants, according to the comptroller’s office. Stephen’s father was also the beneficiary of his wife’s state pension and upon her death received her monthly pension payment via check. Stephen’s father died on March 4, 2020 and both pension payments should have ended. However, the Tuomeys did not report the death of Stephen’s father to the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS). Instead, a total of $30,189.80 in electronic payments were made into the joint account and a total of $5,050.16 in paper pension checks were cashed after his father’s death. When NYSLRS learned of the death in 2022, all payments were stopped and an investigation was initiated, according to the announcement. The investigation revealed that Kelly Tuomey allegedly forged her father-in-law’s name on the paper checks and deposited them into a joint checking account shared by her, husband Stephen, and the deceased. She then allegedly transferred more than $20,000 into her personal bank account and into another bank account, which she shared with her husband. Kelly and Stephen used the money to pay off various credit-card bills and other personal expenses. “The defendants allegedly exploited a family member’s death to try to cheat the pension system and enrich themselves,” DiNapoli said in the announcement. “I will continue to safeguard the state pension system and work with law enforcement to hold those who would defraud it accountable. I thank DA Stanzione and the New York State Police for their continued partnership in protecting the pension system.”