Friday, February 20, 2026 - A 41-year-old Kenyan national, Tobias Otieno, has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $400,000 (approximately KSh52 million) in taxpayer funds from the Town of Wallkill in Orange County, New York.
Otieno, a former employee in the New York State
Comptroller’s Office, admitted to second-degree grand larceny in a New York
court.
According to prosecutors, he misappropriated $405,843 while
working as a state auditor assigned to review the town’s finances between 2022
and 2024.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office stated that
Otieno exploited his access to the town’s bank accounts and financial records
to transfer public funds into personal business accounts under his control.
Authorities said the scheme was uncovered following
financial reviews that detected irregularities in the town’s accounts.
Details on how the discrepancies were identified have not
been fully disclosed.
Otieno is expected to be sentenced in June.
Under New York state law, he faces a potential prison term ranging from four to 12 years.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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