New York City Workers Stole Millions During 9/11 Chaos
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Thousands
took advantage of the chaos on September 11 to steal millions of
dollars |
NEW
YORK, August 7 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - New York
prosecutors have issued arrest warrants for more than 100 people
accused of taking advantage of post-September 11 computer problems to
steal $15 million from a government employees’ credit union.
The
offices of Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said Tuesday,
August 6, that 66 people had been arrested and warrants were pending
on 35 others, in what has become the largest fraud cases to come out
of the terrorist attack, say officials.
When
the credit union of District Council 37 - New York’s largest
municipal union - experienced computer problems after the September 11
attacks, it allowed depositors, who include state, federal and city
workers, to withdraw money on an honor policy from automated teller
machines (ATMs), even if their accounts could not cover it.
The
credit union said it allowed the withdrawals without monitoring to
allow customers access to funds so that they would not offend members
affected by the tragedy.
But
they decided to allow withdrawals without the normal banking
safeguards so they.
“This
is a prime example of no good deed goes unpunished,” said
Morgenthau.
“People
took advantage.”
But
prosecutors said as many as 4,000 people abused the system to overdraw
their accounts by at least $1,000, including 540 who exceeded their
balances by more than $5,000.
One
54-year-old nurse ended with an unauthorized overdraft of $18,111.
Once
the computer glitch was ironed out two months later in November, the
credit union began tracing the withdrawals, confronting individuals
who made the illegal withdrawals.
After
they were confronted by authorities, only a small number of people
agreed to take out loans to pay the money back.
Those
who “took the least amount” will be able to pay back the credit
union, Morgenthau said.
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