Now his investigation has taken a statewide turn.
Cuomo today said he's subpoenaed multiple law firms and school districts upstate, as part of his previously-promised plan to expand the probe beyond Long Island, where the abuses first turned up earlier this year.
So far, the AG has turned up more than 90 lawyers, including 70 upstate who may have abused the system.
The investigation now entails more than 180 school districts including 150 upstate in counties such as Albany (including the greater Capital Region), Broome, Delaware, Erie, Madison and Monroe.
Cuomo made it clear that many of these cases are far more than a simple misunderstanding about who should or shouldn't be on the state pension system. Some of them could entail outright fraud, which could bring commensurate criminal charges.
"It is egregious conduct, and there is no excuse for the fact that it went on as long as it did .... If I were a taxpayer, I'd be offended ... I am offended, by the way, I am offended," he added, noting that, he too, is a taxpayer.
While the list of possible abusers is long, the money involved is big. One lawyer may have already collected more than $700,000 in state benefits and another already retired, collected benefits and died in what Cuomo said was a vast "scam" that's gone on for years.
I am certain that many people will be offended by this. Here is what Cuomo said in the press release:
This is an important investigation. It is fraud like this that needs to be squashed.
