ALBANY, N.Y —A 64-year-old Florida woman has been sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation for stealing more than $148,000 in New York pension benefits paid to her father after he died.
According to the comptroller and attorney general’s offices, Renee Kanas of Tamarac failed to notify the state workers’ retirement system of her father’s death in 2010. She took his benefits for almost five years through their joint bank account, spending some on Caribbean cruises.
As part of her plea, she agreed to pay the $148,000 back to the state. Authorities say she has already paid back $45,000 through the sale of her Florida home.
