Long Island corrections officer swipes $110K in payments from wifes back surgery: DA

A Long Island corrections officer swiped $110,096 in insurance checks intended for his estranged wife’s back surgery, authorities say.Christopher Kowalewski, 49, of Merrick stole 11 of his wife’s New York State Empire Plan reimbursement checks — with values ranging from $92,488 to $147 — for her March 2022 operation and used the dough for personal expenses, according to Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly.Kowalewski allegedly cashed two of the checks and deposited the other nine into a joint bank account he shared with another unnamed person.It’s not clear exactly what he spent the money on.The alleged scheme initially worked because the suspect was the policyholder of his wife’s medical account, and the out-of-network checks were made payable to him.

United Healthcare, which administers the Empire Plan, sent the funds between December 2021 and December 2023.“Public servants are entrusted with doing the right thing, and when they take advantage of the system for personal gain, it hurts everyone,” Donnelly said in her statement.The defendant was hit with second-degree grand larceny charges Monday and faces up to 15 years in prison.Kowalewski is due back in court March 3....