Maybe he didn’t think being elected to public office was a real job?
A Long Island official was arrested and charged with grand theft – for stealing $7,000 from taxpayers by pretending he was unemployed, said Nassau DA Kathleen Rice.
Long Beach City Councilman Michael Fagen was charged with continuing to claim unemployment and collect $405-a-week unemployment insurance, said Rice, despite the fact that he began earning $19,828 a year, starting in January of last year.
Fagen, 54, was elected to a four-year-term as a city councilman in November, 2009, and failed to notify the state Department of Labor of his change in job status.
“This defendant was elected to represent his community and then stole taxpayer money,’’ Rice said. “This is not just a violation of the law but a violation of the trust placed in him by the people of Long Beach.’’
He was charged with grand larceny third degree and faces up to seven years behind bars, if convicted. The Post revealed Fagen’s alleged fraud in a story in April and predicted his arrest.