According to the press release, the grants will fund personnel, including forensic accountants, investigators and assistant district attorneys, who work to build cases for prosecution. Governor Cuomo was quoted as saying that “[t]his funding will give prosecutors the tools they need to help crack down on this fraud and hold accountable those who seek to game the system.”
The grants amounts—totaling more than $14 million—were awarded as follows, listed from largest to smallest:
|
County |
Grant Amount |
County |
Grant Amount |
|
New York |
$5,358,000.00 |
Saratoga |
$125,238.00 |
|
Suffolk |
$1,697,801.00 |
Rensselaer |
$108,750.00 |
|
Queens |
$1,577,185.00 |
Cayuga |
$107,233.00 |
|
Kings |
$848,700.00 |
Ontario |
$97,436.00 |
|
Bronx |
$732,134.00 |
Orange |
$89,000.00 |
|
Nassau |
$669,859.00 |
Onondaga |
$87,220.00 |
|
Erie |
$437,950.00 |
Chautauqua |
$85,000.00 |
|
Rockland |
$378,189.00 |
Madison |
$71,001.00 |
|
Westchester |
$294,104.00 |
Chemung |
$68,510.00 |
|
Albany |
$286,700.00 |
Warren |
$63,000.00 |
|
Richmond |
$240,643.00 |
Steuben |
$42,713.00 |
|
Monroe |
$203,169.00 |
Niagara |
$42,500.00 |
|
Schenectady |
$195,286.00 |
Washington |
$38,250.00 |
|
Oneida |
$170,725.00 |
Montgomery |
$30,260.00 |
|
Ulster |
$151,815.00 |
Total |
$14,298,371.00 |
The grants were largely directed to downstate counties, with the five boroughs and Suffolk and Nassau counties collectively receiving more than three-quarters of the total awarded. New York County alone will receive nearly 40% of the total. This year is also the first that two upstate counties—Saratoga and Rensselaer counties—will receive grants under CARP.
CARP has potential to accomplish a lot of good, by prosecuting instances of tax evasion and other financial crimes. Even so, there are justifiable concerns about the program arising from unfounded criminal prosecutions brought with CARP proceeds – and two counties (Warren and Niagara counties) responsible for hitting the wrong target are on the list again this year.
