Longtime New Haven City Employee Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement

NEW HAVEN, CT — A longtime New Haven city employee pleaded guilty to embezzling money from the city while working in the accounting department.

Daniel Lion, 64, worked for the city for about 40 years. The city has a policy where employees can be paid in advance if they are about to take approved vacation leave. From 2002 to 2018 Lion would issue vacation paychecks to himself and delete computer entries for the checks. He would then get his regular paycheck on top of it, according to the U.S. Attorney District of Connecticut office.

In total he embezzled more than $102,000 from the city.

Lion faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, plus restitution payments. He pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He retired from the city in March 2019