Man Admits to Stealing $142,000 in Pension Checks

Danilo Pesce, 60, pleaded guilty in Albany County Court to grand larceny for spending the pension benefits of a deceased neighbor.

Jack Lee Morgan retired from the Pelham school district in 1991 and received a monthly pension of $3,497 from the New York State Teachers' Retirement System. Morgan died in March 2020. Because he had no living beneficiary at the time of his death, the attorney general's office stated that pension payments should have ceased. The agency was never notified of the death, and checks continued to arrive in Morgan's bank account.

Pesce had served as a caretaker for Morgan before his death. He was added to Morgan's bank account and to the deed for the Pelham home where Pesce and his wife lived part-time. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General found that Pesce began withdrawing money from the account on March 17, 2020. He controlled the account and used the funds for maintenance and renovation of the property.

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that Pesce stole $141,968 in total. She described the act as a theft from hard-working teachers who rely on the retirement system. James said the office would continue to hold individuals accountable for taking advantage of New York's retirement funds.

Pesce was arrested on July 30, 2026. He has since repaid $147,000 to the New York State Teachers Retirement Fund. This amount includes the stolen pension benefits plus $6,000 in interest that accrued after Morgan's death. The New York State Police's Financial Crimes Unit assisted in the investigation.

The guilty plea closes the case with an order for repayment to the retirement fund. The attorney general's office confirmed that the financial restitution has been completed.