A Syracuse man who stole nearly $22,000 in pension payments meant for his deceased mother has been sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay full restitution, officials announced.
45-year-old Michael Glinski was arrested in January 2025 following an investigation by the New York State Comptroller’s Office. He pleaded guilty to third-degree grand larceny in May.
Investigators say Glinski concealed his mother’s death to continue receiving her pension payments, along with those she had been receiving as a beneficiary of her late husband’s pension. His mother, a retired clerk with the Village of Solvay Police Department, passed away in October 2021, but Glinski deposited 17 checks totaling $21,946 into his personal account. The checks were issued by the New York State and Local Retirement System, which discovered her death in July 2022.
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli stressed the importance of protecting the pension system, saying Glinski’s actions undermined benefits that retired public employees and their families rely upon. Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick noted that the conviction and restitution reflect the seriousness of the crime, while State Police Superintendent Steven G. James highlighted the coordinated effort to hold Glinski accountable.
Glinski was sentenced in Onondaga County Court before Judge Mary Anne Doherty.
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