Kevin Clor, 40, had served as the counsel for New York State Thruway Employees Local 72 from 2001 to 2011 period. He pleaded guilty in June to 34 counts of grand larceny, possessing forged documents, and falsifying business records.
Acting Supreme Court Justice Carol Berkman sentenced Clor to between two and two-third years and eight years in prison. Jeremy Saland, the defense lawyer pleaded that such a sentence would be disproportionately harsh.
The defense lawyer said, “This was not somebody in any way who was living a life of luxury.” The defense lawyer also pleaded that Clor has an autistic son who requires expensive care and argued that his client had used at least a portion of the money to help his family.
There were at least 150 phony receipts among the fake documents submitted by Clor between 2006 and 2011. The fake documents included more than dollar hundred thousand in continuing legal education courses that Clor never took, including $23,000 in receipts from the Nichols School, a private middle and high school in Buffalo, and $48,000 from the state’s “Education Certification Department” which does not exist. Also, receipts for $22,000 for buying legal material which he never bought and which bore the names of invented salespeople were submitted.
Asst. District Attorney Jose Fanjul said, “that he egregiously violated one of the most sacred vows that an attorney makes, to represent the interest of his client, is obvious, your honor.”
Martin Latko, the president of the union, expressed his anger and said, “For 10 years, we relied on his counsel and his advice … we trusted him.” In his statement to the judge, Clor said he accepted responsibility for his actions and promised attempts to restitute his victims. Clor will have to pay more than $160,000 in restitution, in addition to the amount of approximately $30,000 he has already paid to the union.
