Fred Knapp (file)
POUGHKEEPSIE – Former Town of Beekman Comptroller Fred Knapp entered a plea of guilty on Tuesday to an indictment which charged him with felony grand larceny in Rockland County Court. The case was heard in Rockland County after Dutchess judges recused themselves.
Knapp admitted that, while serving as the comptroller for the Town of
Beekman, he stole more than $390,000 from the Town’s General Disbursement
Checking Account during the period February, 2011 to November, 2013.
“Knapp was able to carry out his scheme by manipulating the Town Comptroller’s books, over which he had complete control, to create false bookkeeping entries which allowed him to defraud the town of more than $390.00.00 without their knowledge,” said Dutchess County District Attorney William Grady. “This theft is one of the most egregious cases of taxpayer fraud that we have encountered.”
The case has been adjourned to April 3, 2015, for sentencing, at which time, Knapp is expected to receive a maximum nine-year prison term.
Knapp’s bail was increased to $100,000. He was placed on electric monitoring pending posting of the bail.
Knapp, a former county legislator, and his wife Fran, both were prominent in Dutchess County politics. Two years ago, Fran a former Democrat county election commissioner, was hit with a long list of felony and misdemeanor charges pertaining to election records. She pled guilty to two misdemeanors.
