Ursula Stone, a former village clerk from Addison, has made history in New York’s fight against corruption. She has agreed to relinquish her pension after allegations of embezzling more than $1 million in village funds. This is a significant step forward for the state’s anti-corruption efforts, as it is the first time a politician has voluntarily surrendered their pension under the law.
Allegations of embezzlement
According to reports, Ursula Stone, who is 55 years old, has been accused of misappropriating a whopping $1,171,362 for at least 19 years. Her actions have been described as a severe breach of public trust, and the impact of her alleged theft has been felt significantly in the village. This amount is roughly equivalent to the village’s annual budget, and the situation has left many people outraged.
Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker expressed his dismay towards the case, calling it the most comprehensive and appalling breach of public trust he has seen in his 30-year career as a prosecutor. He acknowledged the State Comptroller’s staff for their diligence in uncovering Stone’s long-standing scheme.
Historic pension forfeiture
When Stone appeared in Steuben County Court, she willingly relinquished her monthly pension of $1,920. According to State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, this marks the first time that pension forfeiture has been enforced under the anti-corruption measures introduced by New York’s ethics reform package in 2011, and expanded upon in 2017. DiNapoli emphasized the importance of this case, stating that “Stone’s alleged crimes had a direct impact on the village’s daily operations, making it a perfect fit for utilizing the law in court.”
Lack of oversight and systematic theft
In 2022, an audit conducted by DiNapoli’s office revealed that the village’s finances were being managed without oversight by Stone. She was responsible for tasks such as payroll management, leave record maintenance, and processing of health insurance buyouts and unused leave payments, all of which lacked the necessary approvals from village officials. According to authorities, Stone exploited this unchecked access for personal gain, including unauthorized raises, unchecked leaves, and improper health insurance buyouts. Additionally, she is accused of stealing checks intended for the local school district and other village funds, converting them to bank checks and using them for personal purposes. Stone has been the subject of an investigation conducted by DiNapoli’s office, the New York State Police, and the Steuben County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation discovered that she had been cashing out unused vacation time since 2004, a privilege only available to retirees or resigned employees.
The forfeiture of her pension is seen as a pivotal step in holding public officials accountable
During the investigation’s course, Stone stepped down in March of 2023. However, before her resignation, it is alleged that she wrote herself an unauthorized check for $26,613. Fortunately, the board was able to prevent her from cashing the check.
According to DiNapoli, Ursula Stone had been exploiting her authority and the faith of the people of Addison for more than ten years, and had embezzled over a million dollars from the community. He expressed his gratitude to the collaborative efforts of his team, the District Attorney, Baker, and the State Police, for uncovering her fraudulent activities. Stone has been held accountable for her misconduct.
Although Stone has confessed to stealing more than $100,000, she disagrees with the prosecutor’s estimation of over $1 million. The scandal has caused a stir in the tight-knit community of Addison, as locals come to terms with the breach of trust and the severe financial consequences of Stone’s misdeeds. The seizure of her pension is regarded as a crucial measure in holding elected officials responsible and rebuilding confidence in municipal administration.
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