NEW YORK — A Metro-North Railroad employee has been arrested by Metropolitan Transportation Authority police and charged with second-degree grand larceny for allegedly stealing more than $200,000 in money from ticket vending machines.
The MTA says that Tom Shabani, a cashier with responsibility for handing the vending machine money and a 24-year employee based in White Plains, N.Y., allegedly removed approximately $206,000 from a counting room without authorization. He was arrested Tuesday, March 25 and arraigned in White Plains City Court on Wednesday, March 26, then released on his own recognizance.
Shabani has been “relieved of duty without pay pending additional disciplinary action,” Metro-North Railroad Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Justin Vonashek said in a press release. “Metro-North has no tolerance for any betrayal of responsibility to safeguard public funds for the people of New York. We have taken steps to ensure security measures are reinforced.”
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace said, “Any theft of public funds represents an extraordinary breach of trust, especially when such theft is alleged to have been committed by a public official. …,” Our swift prosecution of this case should serve as a warning to anyone considering stealing from the public coffers.”
Shabani is due back in court on April 16.
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