Companion of Roslyn Schools Chief Is Sentenced to 1 to 3 Years for His Role in Embezzlement

The NY Times ^ | March 17, 2006 | Paul Vitello

[summer]

MINEOLA, N.Y., March 16 — As the story of the $11.2 million Roslyn school embezzlement unfolded over the past two years, prosecutors and auditors often remarked on the almost giddy abandon with which a few administrators dipped into school funds to pay for personal indulgences like vacation trips, luxury homes, jewelry and pedicures.

...Mr. Signorelli, 60, of Manhattan, was for 33 years the domestic partner of the Roslyn schools superintendent, Frank A. Tassone. Dr. Tassone has admitted to stealing more than $2 million during his tenure between 1994 and 2002.

Prosecutors said Dr. Tassone had been the schools chief for about five years, and already had begun embezzling funds, when he arranged to have Mr. Signorelli receive a no-bid contract to prepare and print computer teaching handbooks for the school district. Mr. Signorelli, a computer consultant, had no previous business with the school system.Over the next five years, Mr. Signorelli received $572,000 from that contract. Of that, he gave $219,000 to Dr. Tassone, prosecutors said....

Mr. Signorelli is one of three involved through the patronage of one of the fraud's two main participants, Dr. Tassone and Pamela Gluckin, the former assistant superintendent for business, who admitted to stealing more than $4 million.

The others are Mrs. Gluckin's niece, Debra Rigano, a school records clerk under Mrs. Gluckin's supervision, who admitted to stealing about $780,000; and Mrs. Gluckin's son, John McCormick, a home improvement contractor to whom she gave a Roslyn school credit card, which he used to charge more than $80,000 in merchandise. Mr. McCormick also received about $80,000 in Roslyn funds directly through his mother, according to prosecutors....

[summer]

They keep saying this case is unusual, but I bet this sort of thing goes on in many school districts, though we don't know it yet. Part of the reason I think that is because there is so much nepotism, disguised as "dedication," in public education. I have seen both the husband and wife, and all children, as well as extended family members, all get jobs in a school district. Qualified people do not have a fair chance in these circumstances.

And, when you have that many relatives with their hands in the public payroll, you can't be all that surprised when such people steal taxpayer money -- as they are apparently acting under the belief all such money belongs to their family business.

It would be better for taxpayers if local law prevented people in the same family from being employed by a school district. if you're so dedicated and in the same family, then after one family member is hired, others should have no problem commuting to a neighboring school district.

[summer]

FYI.

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FYI.

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FYI.

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FYI.

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FYI.

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FYI.

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FYI.

[FlyVet]

I bet this sort of thing goes on in many school districts, though we don't know it yet.

I'll bet it does, too. After all, some will think, they're doing public Good, therefore a little extra here and there should be overlooked. Public Trough = Entitlement. That's why I vote no when I see property taxes rise at rates far beyond the inflation rate, and the schools whining for more money anyway. In my district there are more administrators than there are teachers, so I've heard.

[summer]

That is so true -- more administrators than necessary in this district, too. I think they have more administrators in this particular district than any other district in the state, though they do not have the largest population.

[Pharmboy]

This would qualify for the "Thieving Poofter School Superintendent Ping List" I would imagine...

[summer]

LOL...I was thinking there must be such a ping list!

[moog]

It hasn't happened here to the best of my knowledge, but did happen one year back home. The superintendent was an adulterer on top of it all too. He got forced out after a year and they haven't had problems for the last 13 years or so.

As far as nepotism, there isn't much here because it's strictly not allowed by policy and law. I do see it in other sectors though.

[moog]

Here we keep the administrative expenses pretty low (among the lowest around), but still the bashers try to exploit the administration angle. The bottom line (here) is you can't please everyone all the time and some people you will never please.

[moog]

One point that my mom makes back home is that they often take some of the better teachers and have them work in a district capacity. I don't think that's always good practice. I could never go into administration. I have the people skills for it, but not all the rest of it. It's a job I don't want.

[Nextrush]

I used to be in TV news and there were strict policies about people being married and working in the same newsroom.
One guy had to get a different job in a different city to marry a woman he met in the newsroom. A lot of married couples work together at Wal-Mart stores, but one person can't be involved with another person who is their supervisor. In schools around here the rules are loose. People meet and marry, get involved, etc. Family members (brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children, newphews, etc.) seems to get jobs easily. One local school board has at least three members whose children have some sort of job with the school district. In one school the head football coach's son is the assistant principal of the high school, etc. Some potential for mischief?