Renee Kanas, a resident of Tamarac, Florida, has pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, for stealing over $148,000 in pension payments from the New York State and Local Employees Retirement System paid to her father, Jacob Yudenfreund, a New York State pensioner who died in March 2010.
Having failed to notify the New York State and Local Employees Retirement System of her father's passing in March 2010, Kanas admitted to having stolen the pension benefits intended for Mr. Yudenfreund for almost five years after his death, until January 2015. In total, Kanas stole in excess of $148,000 by accessing a joint bank account she held with her deceased father and liquidating all but $1,207.55.
Mr. Yudenfreund was a New York State pensioner who elected to receive reduced monthly benefits so his wife, Doris Yudenfreund, would continue to receive benefits after his death. Ms. Yudenfreund, however, predeceased Mr. Yudenfreund. As such, upon Mr. Yudenfreund's passing in March 2010, his pension benefits ceased.
Prosecutors said that due to Kanas' failure to notify the New York State and Local Employees Retirement System of her father's death, she continued to collect his pension benefits for approximately five years. During this time, Kanas lived off of the stolen money and, among other things, took multiple cruises, including to the Caribbean, according to prosecutors.
In May 2016, Kanas was arrested in Florida. She was brought to New York in June and pleaded guilty before Judge Thomas A. Breslin. As part of her plea, Kanas signed a confession of judgment in favor of New York State in the amount of $148,092.24. She faces up to two to six years in state prison when she is sentenced on September 30.
Steven A. Meyerowitz
Steven A. Meyerowitz, a Harvard Law School graduate, is the founder and president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. He may be contacted at [email protected].