Huntington Man Stole Mother's Pension: Suffolk DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A former Town of Huntington employee was arrested after county officials said he stole his mother's public pension payments after she died in April 2021.

Moses K. Johnson, 63, of Huntington, was accused of stealing more than $56K from the New York State Retirement Fund by continuing to collect his deceased mother's pension for over a year, said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney and New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

Johnson was arrested on Wednesday and arraigned on one count of second-degree grand larceny, a class C felony.

"The New York State Retirement Fund is funded by the hard work of hundreds of thousands of public sector employees, and provides retirement security for over one million members," Tierney said in a news release. "My office will investigate and prosecute anyone who is alleged to have stole from this vital resource."

Johnson's mother died on April 16, 2021, investigators said.

Johnson did not notify the bank or the New York State and Local Retirement System his mother died and instead continued to collect and spend her pension payments, prosecutors said. Between April 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022, Johnson collected a total of 15 unauthorized payments totaling $56,411.37, officials said. The stolen funds were traced from Johnson’s mother’s bank account into his bank account, authorities said.

"Mr. Johnson allegedly took advantage of his mother's death to pocket tens of thousands of dollars he was not entitled to," DiNapoli said. "Thanks to my investigators and Suffolk County District Attorney Tierney, he is being held accountable for his crime. My office will continue to work with law enforcement agencies across the state and country to protect the New York State pension system from fraud."

Johnson previously worked for the Town of Huntington for more than 30 years and worked in the
recycling center until he retired in 2017, prosecutors said.

"As a member of the state retirement system, Johnson should have been aware of the pension process, and known his mother’s payments should have been stopped with her death," the DA's Office wrote.

Johnson was released on his own recognizance while his case pends. He is due back in court on Oct. 25.