Ursula Stone, the former clerk-treasurer of the Village of Addison, has been arrested under charges of embezzling over $1.1 million from village coffers. The arrest follows an extensive investigation involving New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker, and the New York State Police, uncovering a scheme that spanned nearly two decades.
Comptroller DiNapoli’s office, in cooperation with local law enforcement, launched an audit and investigation, revealing Stone’s long-standing financial misappropriations, including unauthorized pay raises and cashing out unused vacation time. Stone’s practices went undetected for years due to a lack of oversight, leading to an abuse of the public trust as outlined by DA Baker, who expressed profound shock over the breadth of the corruption.
Stone, who served the village from 1997 until her resignation in March 2023, now faces multiple felony charges, including grand larceny and money laundering. The former official was arraigned before Judge Chauncey Watches in Steuben County Court, with bail set at $20,000. She is expected to return to court on January 24, 2024, with the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. The substantial loss to the village’s finances, uncovered by vigilant state auditors and the State Police, brings to light the ongoing battle against public corruption.
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