NYS Attorney General Cuomo: "The taxpayers have been ripped off enough,"...

According to Buffalo News Staff Reporters, Tom Precious and Barbara O'Brien, Kathy A. Ahearn, Deputy Commissioner for New York State Education Department Office of Council, is said to be credited with referring the matter to New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (photo), after Cuomo's office exposed the "payroll-padding scheme" in a Long Island school district in February.  

Information on the Niagara County case was not disclosed.  Two Erie County Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) are involved. The investigation could result in criminal and civil charges and reveal mis-use of millions of dollars in public money.

Update: 15 April 2008

A comprehensive overview of Cuomo's Inquiry into 'Payroll-Padding' titled "Cuomo Broadens Pension Scam Inquiry" (topic overview) can be viewed at NewsFeedResearcher.com: http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_n15/idn2008.04.11.13.27.07.html

Update: 12 June 2008

The link to NewsFeedResearcher.com is no longer available.

In May, Supreme Court Justice Gerald Connolly refused to stop New York State Attorney General Cuomo's and New York State Comptroller Thomas D. Napoli's investigation into pension fraud pending a final decision in a case brought by four lawyers who assert that "pensions cannot be taken away because credit in the pension system, once granted, can't be taken away."

In June, as Long Island attorney Gilbert Henoch settled for $60,000 for claims he improperly received health and pension benefits, Cuomo said," a combination of settlements, prosecutions and legislation should permanently fix the problem. The taxpayers have been ripped off enough,"... 

The Chicago Tribune is providing complete coverage of the lawyer pension scandal here http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/ny-lireic0219a-sg,0,1663478.storygallery including links to the the May and June articles above.