Former Superintendent and Security Specialist Allegedly Misused Funds for Personal Luxuries

In a shocking turn of events, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Westchester County District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah announced the arrests of two former officials from the Greenburgh-Graham Union Free School District on corruption charges. Oliver Levy, the former superintendent, and Surendra Kumar, a former security system specialist, are accused of stealing over $12,000 in school funds intended for student use and spending it on luxury items and personal expenses.

“Oliver Levy and Surendra Kumar were entrusted with money meant to enrich the lives of students with disabilities; instead, they allegedly enriched their own lives by spending the money on lavish gifts for themselves,” DiNapoli stated. “Thanks to my partnership with District Attorney Rocah they will now be held accountable for their actions.”

DA Rocah emphasized the betrayal of trust, saying, “This alleged act of public corruption by those responsible for the care of students in need betrayed the trust of the entire school district community. We applaud the Office of the New York State Comptroller for their exhaustive investigation and bringing this case to our Office.”

Levy, 55, from Stony Point, and Kumar, 47, from Yonkers, were apprehended by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and arraigned on felony charges of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree as a Crime of Public Corruption and Corrupting the Government in the Third Degree. The arraignment took place in the Town of Greenburgh Justice Court before Judge Erin McGoey. They are scheduled to appear in court again on June 26 in Hastings-on-Hudson Village Court.

According to the felony complaint, Levy and Kumar collaborated in a scheme where Levy approved Kumar’s purchase of 168 gift cards between July 2018 and May 2022. These gift cards, valued at over $12,000, were meant for student use but were instead allegedly used for purchasing jewelry, luxury handbags, private school fees for relatives, and veterinary services.

The investigation was conducted by the Office of the New York State Comptroller alongside the Economic Crimes Unit and Public Integrity Unit of the DA’s Office Criminal Investigators Squad.

Public Integrity and Law Enforcement Integrity Bureau Assistant District Attorney Sheila Horgan of the Trials and Investigations Division is leading the prosecution of this case.

The charges against Levy and Kumar are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.