Report: School Custodial Workers Stole $60,000
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A report released yesterday by the special commissioner of investigation, Richard Condon, found that former Department of Education custodial workers had together stolen more than $60,000 from the Grover Cleveland High School in Queens. The report finds that Karen Nowaski, 37, forged and cashed paychecks with the help of John Lotito, 45. Ms. Nowaski, the report claims, also increased her pay rate without authorization and extorted $9,000 from Mr. Lotito for her silence about his part in the scheme. Within five years, Ms. Nowaski had stolen $30,000 in forged checks and over $24,000 in unauthorized wage increases.
The scheme was discovered when Mr. Lotito confessed to the pair’s illegal activities and resigned. Ms. Nowaski stopped showing up to work soon thereafter.
Mr. Condon said the matter points to carelessness within the department.
“It becomes obvious that they did this over a long period of time,” he said. “It would have gone on longer if he hadn’t retired.” Mr. Condon forwarded his report to New York and Queens counties, where the district attorneys are reviewing it.
