Authorities report that a corrections officer from Long Island embezzled $110,096 in insurance checks meant for his estranged wife’s back surgery, per the NY Post.
Christopher Kowalewski, 49, of Merrick, allegedly took 11 reimbursement checks from her New York State Empire Plan. It reportedly ranged in amounts from $92,488 to $147, for her March 2022 procedure. Kowalewski allegedly used the money for personal expenses, according to Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
Kowalewski is said to have cashed two of the checks and deposited the other nine into a joint bank account he held with an unnamed individual. The accused’s plan initially succeeded because he was the policyholder for his wife’s medical account, allowing the out-of-network checks to be issued in his name. United Healthcare, which manages the Empire Plan, distributed the funds from December 2021 to December 2023.
“Public servants are entrusted with doing the right thing, and when they take advantage of the system for personal gain, it hurts everyone,”
Donnelly said in her statement. On Monday, the defendant was charged with second-degree grand larceny and could face a maximum of 15 years in prison.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
