The Village of Addison’s top financial officer misappropriated more than $1.1 million over nearly two decades, enabled by a governing board that failed to enforce basic fiscal controls, according to a series of audits released by the New York State Comptroller.
The former Clerk-Treasurer, who resigned in 2023, was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison this August after pleading guilty to first-degree corrupting the government. She also forfeited her public pension — the first time such a penalty has been imposed on a New York official for corruption committed in office.
Auditors found the former Clerk-Treasurer overpaid herself and other employees by at least $341,992 and attempted to make an additional unauthorized payment of $26,613 before her resignation. She routinely bypassed policies on payroll, vacation accruals, and separation payouts, and made unapproved health insurance buyouts totaling more than $150,000. Many payments lacked supporting documentation or Board authorization.
The oversight failures extended beyond payroll. In a parallel audit, the Comptroller’s office found that the Village Board failed to request regular financial reports, ignored warnings from an outside accountant, and never conducted annual audits of the Clerk-Treasurer’s records. More than 86 disbursements totaling $663,601 were paid without Board approval. Over a third of reviewed claims lacked invoices or documentation altogether.
Even after the former official’s departure, fiscal lapses continued. A follow-up investigation revealed that her successor, hired in 2023, used $1,176 in leave time she had not accrued and increased her salary without Board approval, though this resulted in less than $25 in overpayment. She resigned in April, and no criminal charges were filed.
The Comptroller’s office has urged the Village to overhaul its financial oversight practices, including monthly financial reporting, proper auditing of all claims, adoption of clear policies, and segregation of financial duties. Several Board members admitted they had relied entirely on the Clerk-Treasurer for guidance and were unaware of key responsibilities.
The Village Board has agreed to the recommendations and indicated corrective action is underway.
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