FBI looks at Cuomo hiring and staff pay practices

Reports this week said the FBI is taking a look at the Cuomo administration’s method of hiring and paying employees. Specifically, federal investigators are interested in Cuomo alleged practice of paying executive branch employees through other state agencies, rather than through the Executive Chamber in which they work.

This kind of accounting practice could be employed to avoid inflation of the Executive Chamber budget, and therefore avoid criticism from the public for Cuomo’s executive staff spending. Twenty seven new personnel hired and/or promoted in March are working directly in Governor Cuomo’s office, yet all but five of them are having their salaries paid by various other entities, such as the Department of Transportation, State of NY Mortgage Agency, Power Authority, Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Services, Justice Center, and Environmental Facilities Corp, to name a few.

These salaries range from $89,883 to $170,701 and total $2,540,130. Although it is unclear what if any law is being violated, the FBI have a couple focal points of investigation, one being the written notices stating that employees were hired by an agency, yet will be working directly for Cuomo, and another is questioning the employees on whether their duties at work at all related to the agency they’re being paid by.