Main Banner

NEWS from the Office of the New York State Comptroller
Contact: Press Office 518-474-4015

DiNapoli: Son Who Left His Dad’s Body In Morgue Sentenced For Stealing His Retirement Payments

November 17, 2015

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the sentencing today of Christopher Bunn of Queens for concealing his father’s death to collect his pension and Social Security payments.

“This case is a warning to anyone attempting to steal state pension funds,” DiNapoli said. “We are tracking you and you will be prosecuted. I thank District Attorney Brown and the Social Security Inspector General for their partnership with us in rooting out pension fraud.”

Bunn left his father in the Nassau County morgue for more than a year while pocketing $7,542 in pension payments and $17,790 in social security payments, which were electronically-deposited into the father’s checking account.

Bunn, 49, was sentenced to time served and full restitution, which he paid today in Queens County Supreme Court.  He pleaded guilty in October to grand larceny in the third degree, a Class D felony, and petit larceny.

Bunn’s case is the latest in a series of investigations by DiNapoli’s office leading to more than a dozen criminal convictions and restitutions of $1 million by a former Rome, N.Y. police officer, two Troy Housing Authority employees, and a double-dipping Suffolk County police officer, among others.

Since taking office in 2007, DiNapoli has committed to fighting public corruption and fraud and encourages the public to help fight fraud and abuse. New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the toll-free Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, by filing a complaint online at [email protected], or by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 14th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.