SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y. — Moses K. Johnson, 63, of Huntington, has pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree for illegally collecting more than $56,000 in public pension payments intended for his deceased mother, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney and New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today.
Johnson, a former employee of the Town of Huntington, failed to notify authorities of his mother’s death in April 2021, continuing to collect and spend her pension payments over a 14-month period.
“The defendant’s actions were not only illegal but morally reprehensible, stealing from his own deceased mother’s pension funds,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This case highlights the importance of our ongoing collaboration with the State Comptroller’s Office in rooting out fraud and abuse. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect the integrity of our pension systems and bring those who attempt to defraud them to justice.”
According to court records and Johnson’s admissions during his guilty plea, he collected 15 unauthorized payments totaling $56,411 between April 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022. The funds were traced from his mother’s bank account into his own, from which he spent the money. Johnson had worked for the Town of Huntington for over 30 years, retiring in 2017 from the recycling center, and was familiar with the pension process, knowing his mother’s payments should have ceased following her death.
“Mr. Johnson callously exploited his mother’s death to line his own pockets,” said Comptroller DiNapoli. “I thank Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney for his partnership in bringing him to justice. My office will continue to partner with law enforcement agencies across the state and country to protect the New York State pension system from fraud.”
Johnson was arrested on October 11, 2023, following a joint investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of the New York State Comptroller.
He is expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
