Crime & Safety

Formers Yonkers City Worker Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Taxpayers

A former Yonkers city employee pleaded in Westchester County Court  in White Plains today for allegedly applying false surcharges to the bills of taxpayers last year.

Lionel Thomas, 36, of Yonkers, pleaded guilty to one felony count of scheme to defraud, according to Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore.

Thomas, a former employee of the Yonkers Taxation and Finance Department, defrauded six taxpayers, between Oct. 31 and Nov. 29.  Thomas would apply fake processing fees to the bills.

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Thomas would demand cash for the fees and present the taxpayers with an official looking receipt for the money. He collected a total of $1,970 from the taxpayers, according to prosecutors.

The scheme came to light after one of the victims thought the fee was suspicious and called the Department of Taxation and Finance to ask about the policy.

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Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 14. He faces a maximum of four years in prison.



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