Patchogue village funds allegedly stolen

The Suffolk County district attorney is investigating the alleged theft of $193,000 from the village of Patchogue by a village employee, Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri and the prosecutor's office said.

The district attorney's office has a suspect and an arrest is "imminent," Robert Clifford, a spokesman for District Attorney Thomas Spota, said Wednesday.

The investigation began after a village audit discovered funds missing from a fuel account, Pontieri said.

Clifford and Pontieri declined to name the village employee who will face charges. Pontieri said the village intends to make clear to Spota's office that it wants "restitution to be part of the final decision."

He added: "Our goal is to recover all of the funds taken."

The bulk of the money allegedly stolen came from the fuel fund, Pontieri said. The $193,000 constitutes almost 2 percent of the village's $10-million budget, he said.

Pontieri declined to say when the alleged theft took place, or how.

Clifford confirmed that the district attorney's investigation concerns "the alleged theft of money in Patchogue village" and declined to comment further.