GOSHEN – Former Town of Bethel Tax Collector Debra Gabriel of Bethel pled guilty in Town of Rockland Justice Court to offering a false instrument for filing in connection with a scheme to defraud the State and Local Retirement System.
Gabriel. 62. resigned from her office and retired in August 2020.
Gabriel had admitted to submitting a false record of activity with the Town of Bethel for filing with the state comptroller. Records of activity are documents in which certain appointed or elected officials must record a daily detail of their hours worked and duties, and certify their accuracy. The information is used to calculate their service time for retirement benefits.
An investigation of her records conducted by the state comptroller’s office and State Police found that from April 1, 2009 to August 31, 2019, she falsely claimed credit for full-time wrk for the town when her actual hours were far less.
She turned over a certified check for $6,377.46 to prosecutors from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office as restitution to the state. The Orange County DA was appointed as special prosecutor in the case.
