Two top Westchester County school officials allegedly swiped $50,000 meant for at-risk students and blew it on private school fees for relatives, luxury handbags and other flashy items, according to prosecutors.
Now-former Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District superintendent Oliver Levy and ex-security system specialist Surendra Kumar allegedly worked together to divert school funds to pay for their exorbitant lifestyles, the Westchester District Attorney’s Office said.
Levy — who started out in 2008 as a teacher’s aide at the district that serves troubled youth in grades K-12 — and Kumar bought 168 gift cards between July 2018 and June 2022, but only used a portion of those funds for school items, prosecutors alleged.
Instead, they allegedly funneled some of the money – about $50,000 – toward personal expenses, including jewelry, veterinary services, luxury handbags and the private school fees.
Both Levy, 55, of Stony Point, and Kumar, 48, of Yonkers, were initially arrested and charged with crimes in May 2024 before they were slapped with upgraded criminal counts this week.
“Any theft of public funds represents a fundamental breach of public trust. That breach is amplified when the allegations concern an institution serving our most vulnerable,” District Attorney Susan Cacace said in a statement.
“The funds in this case that were allegedly diverted to the defendants could have been used for student achievement.”
The pair pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday to six counts, including charges of grand larceny as crimes of public corruption, grand larceny, and corrupting the government.
Lawyers for both did not return emails seeking comment Wednesday night.
The investigation was handled by both the district attorney’s office and the New York State Comptroller’s Office.
“School administrators allegedly stealing from students they are supposed to serve is reprehensible,” Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.
Levy was placed on leave before his arrest last year after school officials became aware of the troubling allegations, The Journal News reported.
His contract expired while he was on leave and was not renewed.
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