ALBANY – Members of the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit (SIU) raided the Albany headquarters of the New York State Troopers PBA on Tuesday afternoon. The raid took place at the same time, less than a block away, from where Governor Hochul was giving her State of the State address. Two Hudson Valley residents have involvement with the raided office.
The Trooper PBA represents thousands of uniformed troopers across the state but does not represent the members of the SIU that conducted the raid. A trooper told Mid-Hudson News that the raid is the result of many complaints against union leaders and business practices in the past few months; namely PBA President Thomas Mungeer, a resident of Rock Hill in Sullivan County, and former PBA General Counsel Richard Mulvaney of LaGrange in Dutchess County.
Troopers investigating the finances of their union discovered that both Mungeer and Mulvaney are believed to be licensed to sell insurance in New York State. Further investigation revealed that both licenses are believed to be linked to the Goshen insurance firm Epic Risk Solutions, owned by Michael Klugman. The troopers also determined that the PBA had a longstanding contract with Epic that was not disclosed to the general membership.
A November bulletin from the PBA to the membership announced that the union is no longer doing business with Epic because of the undisclosed ties between Epic, Mungeer, Mulvaney, and the union. Klugman also revealed that Mulvaney owns a portion of the insurance company.
Mungeer had been the Troopers PBA President for 13 years until announcing that he was taking a leave of absence during a contentious union meeting in October of 2022. Mungeer is assigned to Troop F which covers Greene, Ulster, Sullivan, Orange, and Rockland Counties.
Mungeer’s announcement came moments after his confidant Richard Mulvaney tendered his resignation as general counsel to the union during an executive session at the same meeting.
In addition to representing the Troopers PBA, Mulvaney had served as counsel to former State Senator Diane Savino, who represented Queens from 2005-2022, and he is also a retired lieutenant from the New York City Police Department. Mulvaney did not respond to a request from Mid-Hudson News request seeking comment.
The related Signal 30 Benefit Fund, a union fundraising division, was also raided in Albany.
The New York State Attorney General’s Office is tasked with regulating non-profits such as fundraising organizations like Signal 30.
