SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A Syracuse man recently pled guilty to stealing nearly $22,000 in pension payments sent to his deceased mother.
New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven James recently announced the guilty plea.
The defendant, Michael Glinski, 45, was arrested back in January following an investigation by DiNapoli’s office.
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“Mr. Glinski tried to hide his mother’s death to cash her pension checks. Attempts to steal from and defraud our pension system will be rooted out,” DiNapoli said in a May 22 announcement. “My thanks to DA Fitzpatrick and Superintendent James for their partnership in holding the defendant accountable.”
Glinski pled guilty to grand larceny in the third degree in Onondaga County Court before Judge Mary Anne Doherty. He is due back in court on June 23.
Case background
Glinski’s mother, a clerk with the Village of Solvay Police Department, retired in August 2014 and received a monthly pension check. She also received her deceased husband’s pension payment as a beneficiary since 2019, per DiNapoli’s office.
When she died in October 2021, both payments should have stopped, but the New York State and Local Retirement System was not notified of her death until July 2022. Her payments then stopped, and an investigation was launched.
DiNapoli’s investigators determined that Glinski had deposited 17 pension checks, totaling $21,946.36, into his personal bank account by endorsing the checks using his power of attorney, which he knew had ended under the law at the time of his mother’s death.
“I commend our State Police members and partners from the State Comptroller’s Office for their devoted work on this investigation,” James said. “Mr. Glinski knowingly defrauded the New York State pension system, taking benefits from those who rightfully earned them. The State Police will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable individuals who mistakenly think they can get away with these crimes.”
