Originally Posted - July 27, 2006

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WESTCHESTER---The state Attorney Generals office has sued two local police officers in connection with making fraudulent filings for retirement benefits. The lawsuit, filed in State Supreme Court in Westchester County, names as defendants Dennis Mahoney, a former police officer in the Town of New Castle, and John Vize, currently a lieutenant in the town police department.

An investigation by the Attorney General's office found that Officer Mahoney, with the assistance of Lieutenant Vize, allegedly falsely represented to the State Comptroller's Office that Mahoney had completed 20 years of service as a police officer, thereby allowing him to retire early and receive his full pension benefits. In fact, Mahoney worked for only 19 years instead of the required 20. For Mahoney's purported last year of service, Vize assigned work shifts to Mahoney, but Mahoney did not work any of them. Instead, Mahoney and Vize arranged for other police officers to work in Mahoney's place. Mahoney continued to earn credit in the state pension system during the year that he did not work. 7-27-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette