NY man accused of stealing over $56K in pension payments from deceased mother

Moses K. Johnson, a 63-year-old former Town of Huntington employee, has been arrested for purportedly stealing his deceased mother’s public pension payments, totaling $56,411.37.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, in collaboration with Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, announced the arrest, noting that Johnson allegedly exploited his mother’s April 2021 death to illicitly obtain funds. Tierney emphasized the importance of safeguarding the New York State Retirement Fund, which serves over a million members.

The collaborative investigation by the Office of the New York State Comptroller and the Suffolk County District Attorney revealed that between April 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022, Johnson received 15 unauthorized payments intended for his mother, who had passed away on April 16, 2021.

Allegedly, Johnson neither informed the bank nor the New York State and Local Retirement System about her death, choosing instead to continue collecting and spending the pension payments. Traces of the stolen funds were identified moving from his mother’s bank account to his own. With over 30 years of employment at Huntington’s recycling center and being part of the state retirement system, Johnson was likely aware that these payments should have ceased after his mother’s death. He was arraigned on Oct. 11, with the next court appearance set for Oct. 25. The allegations remain charges, and Johnson retains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.