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Thread: Buffalo Fire administrator accused of tampering with her own payroll deductions

  1. #1
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    Buffalo Fire administrator accused of tampering with her own payroll deductions

    Buffalo Fire administrator accused of tampering with her own payroll deductions

    As a longtime payroll administrator, Jill M. Parisi had clearance to access Fire Department payroll records. She could, for example, make appropriate deduction changes when a firefighter went out on disability. She could even do it from the Fire Department computer at her South Buffalo home.


    http://www.buffalonews.com/city-regi...tions-20160213

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    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    A Buffalo News review of city payrolls found Parisi among the Fire Headquarters civilian administrative staff getting the most overtime payments in recent years.

    In the current fiscal year, which runs from July 2015 through June 2016, Parisi so far earned $64,741 – including $36,555 in regular pay and $25,945 in overtime, according to city payroll records. That means, with almost five months left in the fiscal year and given her almost $60,000 annual base salary, she’s on a pace to earn upward of $100,000 in the current fiscal year as an administrative assistant for payroll.

    In the 2014-2015 fiscal year, Parisi earned $82,732, including almost $26,000 in overtime, payroll records show.
    Lots of overtime.

  3. #3
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Parisi’s payroll information attracted attention in the city Comptroller’s Office Feb. 2. An Audit and Control employee noticed something odd with Parisi’s payroll information. Her withholding had been electronically lowered just prior to a paycheck being issued, then restored once the check was issued, and then lowered again before the next paycheck was to be issued.

    And it wasn’t just her income tax withholding, but also her Social Security/Medicare FICA payments, which are not supposed to change.
    That's theft

    With disciplinary charges filed Friday against Parisi, the clock now starts ticking on the disciplinary process. Parisi can be suspended without pay for 30 days. During that time, a meeting will be conducted to see if Parisi and the Brown administration can reach an agreement on what occurred and what, if any, discipline is warranted.
    An agreement. Why does there need to be an agreement on what occurred? She intentionally cheated the city taxpayers.
    Why does there need to be an agreement on what discipline is warranted? Termination is the only option.

    If the city believes any crimes were committed, it could separately refer the case to an appropriate law enforcement agency. Federal law states that intentionally submitting false Social Security/Medicare FICA tax information is a felony punishable by up to a $100,000 fine and three years in prison.
    Wasn't changing the FICA deductions intentional, thus a felony? Isn't a felony a crime?

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Member BorderBob's Avatar
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    Changing your withholding on income taxes isn't theft, unless it is possible to steal your own money, no? However, I believe under withholding is subject to civil fines. Changing it, if possible, payday to payday would only affect your refund at the end of a year, particularly if subject to periodic spikes in something like overtime.

    FICA and Social Security are different.





    b.b.

  5. #5
    Tony Fracasso - Admin
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    I would question the over time. That seems abnormally high. This administrator isn't fighting fires are they? Far as we know they hold a basic desk job.

  6. #6
    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BorderBob View Post
    Changing your withholding on income taxes isn't theft, unless it is possible to steal your own money, no? However, I believe under withholding is subject to civil fines. Changing it, if possible, payday to payday would only affect your refund at the end of a year, particularly if subject to periodic spikes in something like overtime.

    FICA and Social Security are different.





    b.b.
    Yes, I well aware of being able to change your W4 form to adjust your withholding but like Social ecurity and medicare taxes are different. You can't change them. What she did was theft. They made her pay it back. That doesn't make a non-theft. As was stated in the article, Federal law states that intentionally submitting false Social Security/Medicare FICA tax information is a felony

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Member BorderBob's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gorja View Post
    Yes, I well aware of being able to change your W4 form to adjust your withholding but like Social ecurity and medicare taxes are different. You can't change them. What she did was theft. They made her pay it back. That doesn't make a non-theft. As was stated in the article, Federal law states that intentionally submitting false Social Security/Medicare FICA tax information is a felony
    Your "that's theft" statement was framed in the context of all the withholding, not just FICA/SS. Just trying to be clear. I agree that the latter are really taxes, not withholding and not subject to change. In fact, I'm not even sure you can, I mean Social Security and FICA taxes are not subject to marital status or deductions, no?

    The down side however is in that these would be federal crimes, you would need a US Attorney to accept prosecution which is doubtful depending on the amount involved.

    Though he does like to prosecute public officials.




    b.b.

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    Member nogods's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BorderBob View Post
    Changing your withholding on income taxes isn't theft, unless it is possible to steal your own money, no? However, I believe under withholding is subject to civil fines. Changing it, if possible, payday to payday would only affect your refund at the end of a year, particularly if subject to periodic spikes in something like overtime.

    FICA and Social Security are different.





    b.b.
    You are correct. In fact all W-2 wage earners should adjust their withholding to match their expected tax liability to avoid having a refund.

    Moreover, a tax return business shouldn't be advertising about how they get refunds for clients, but instead they should brag about how their clients are taught not to have a refund in the first place.

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    Member gorja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BorderBob View Post
    Your "that's theft" statement was framed in the context of all the withholding, not just FICA/SS. Just trying to be clear. I agree that the latter are really taxes, not withholding and not subject to change. In fact, I'm not even sure you can, I mean Social Security and FICA taxes are not subject to marital status or deductions, no?

    The down side however is in that these would be federal crimes, you would need a US Attorney to accept prosecution which is doubtful depending on the amount involved.

    Though he does like to prosecute public officials.




    b.b.
    Who knows if she only adjusted things just for her own payroll? Maybe, they'll have to dig deeper to find more misdeeds in regards to her manipulating payroll for certain other employees of the department.

    Georgia L Schlager

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    Quote Originally Posted by nogods View Post
    You are correct. In fact all W-2 wage earners should adjust their withholding to match their expected tax liability to avoid having a refund.

    Moreover, a tax return business shouldn't be advertising about how they get refunds for clients, but instead they should brag about how their clients are taught not to have a refund in the first place.
    Originally Posted by BorderBob View Post
    Your "that's theft" statement was framed in the context of all the withholding, not just FICA/SS. --- In fact, I'm not even sure you can, I mean Social Security and FICA taxes are not subject to marital status or deductions, no? ------


    Diversion and distraction!

    Look at these two - everyone knows FICA and SS/Medicare can not be legally be "adjusted" by a employee or employer and by law the employer (Tax payers) pays any shortages.

    If its proven she did this - Are you two actually trying to down play or excuse what this lady is accused of ?

    You will say your not advocateing these type actions - so your just blowing smoke over it - TYPICAL
    Last edited by 4248; February 15th, 2016 at 08:58 PM.
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

  11. #11
    Member BorderBob's Avatar
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    I was employed by the government in a secondary law enforcement position for 30 years. I know, from experience, that just because it is a federal crime doesn't mean that you get prosecuted for committing the act. U.S. Attorney's have prosecution thresholds where they won't even make an arrest. It happened in drug cases all the time and particularly in cases of assault against our officers. We used to joke "no blood, no foul" when we were assaulted by border crossers.

    This person likely broke that federal law by changing or eliminating the withholding for Social Security and/or FICA taxes. It doesn't mean this person will be charged with a crime. It probably means the government will be made whole through civil action. In fact, that is probably what happened in this case.

    Don't mistake my assessment of the prosecution value of this case with condoning what this person did. But it will be contingent on the city's employment manual or collective bargaining agreements what internal discipline occurs absent criminal conviction in this case.

    Just the facts. I'm expressing no opinion here.






    b.b.

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    Part of the concern here should be:

    What is/was the total scope and range of the powers of this employee ?

    What areas of accounting could have also been affected by decisions made in this Department ?

    Could this person have affected other employees records or payrolls by improper changes ?

    It just seems there is more to this than just one person gaining a few extra dollars ! By narrowing the investigation or charges - does that halt further investigations into other area ?

    Just askin -
    #Dems play musical chairs + patronage and nepotism = entitlement !

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