State: NY Woman Stole $67K From Dead Mom’s Pension Checks

KIRKVILLE, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a 45-year-old central New York woman collected her mother's state pension checks for several years after her parent's death.

The offices of the state comptroller and attorney general announced Monday that Tammy Banack, of Kirkville in Onondaga County, collected more than $67,000 from the state pension fund during a 5½-year period.

Officials say her mother died on Dec. 31, 2009 at the age of 64. Banack and her mother had a joint bank account into which the pension checks were deposited. Authorities say Banack never told the bank or the state retirement system that her mother had died.

Officials say Banack used the money to pay for her basic living expenses.

The charges against her include grand larceny. She has been released from the county jail.

A phone listing for Banack couldn't be found.