BREAKING: Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas Indicted on Larceny Charges

On March 12, then-NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced felony charges against Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas.

Today, Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas was been indicted by a grand jury on larceny charges for allegedly stealing campaign funds and failing to disclose funds that he used for personal expenses.

Back on March 12, then-Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the arrest of the Mount Vernon mayor for allegedly stealing campaign funds and lying about money he diverted from his inaugural committee for personal benefit. Mayor Thomas was arrested back in March after an investigation that exposed the theft of approximately $12,900 from his campaign committee, and the diversion of over $45,000 from his inaugural committee for personal use and his failure to disclose it. He is also accused of failing to disclose gifts. He allegedly used both his campaign and inaugural account funds to pay his rent, make car payments and purchase a $2,000 Chanel purse.

According to today’s grand jury indictment, Mayor Thomas allegedly used his campaign and inaugural accounts as personal piggy banks as part of a scheme that began during his 2015 campaign and continued throughout his time in office. He is now accused of stealing more than $12,000 from Friends of Richard Thomas, his campaign committee when he ran for mayor three years ago. He is also accused of allegedly failing to report nearly $50,000 that he took from his inaugural committee following the election.

The new charges include multiple counts of grand larceny, a felony that is punishable by prison time, as well as filing a false statement. There is no date on when Thomas will be arraigned on the larceny indictment. He is due back in court on June 1 to answer the corruption charges.

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