Metro

Huntley staffers plead guilty to stealing $30K from non-profit

David Gantt

David Gantt (Dennis Clark)

Two cronies of ex-state Sen. Shirley Huntley pleaded guilty today to stealing nearly $30,000 in taxpayer funds from a bogus non-profit group founded by Huntley, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced.

Huntley last week pleaded guilty for her role in trying to cover up the theft of taxpayer dollars.

Former Huntley staffer Patricia Savage and Huntley’s niece, Lynn Smith, pleaded guilty in Nassau County Supreme Court to the felony of attempted grand larceny in the third degree for pocketing $29,950 in state legislative “member item” funds that Huntley steered to Parent Workshop.

They agreed to repay the taxpayer funds they had stolen as part of the plea.

The defendants falsely claimed to be using the funds to hold parent workshops.

A third defendant, consultant David Gantt, pleaded guilty to falsifying business records in the second degree.

The case was prosecuted by Schneiderman’s office and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

“As a result of our investigation, the taxpayers of this state will be fully reimbursed for the money stolen through this scheme,” Schneiderman said.

“There are no excuses for public officials and their associates who game the system to line their pockets, and then engage in a brazen cover up when their crimes are exposed,” the attorney general added.

Judge Norman St. George is scheduled to sentence Savage, Smith and Gantt later next month.