Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon announced on Wednesday, Jan. 12 that the DA's Special Investigations Bureau has arrested the former Village of Farmingdale Mayor Joseph Trudden, 55, of Farmingdale. Trudden is accused of preparing and submitting false records to the New York State comptroller's office during an audit they were conducting for June 2001 through May of 2003.

According to Dillon, "During an audit of the Village of Farmingdale by the New York State comptroller's office in July of 2003, Trudden prepared and submitted false documents regarding lunch and dinner meetings with various public officials and community leaders. In order to justify credit card bills for meals and drinks at local restaurants paid for using a village credit card he claimed falsely that these expenditures were part of village business. Trudden claimed that the meetings with public officials and community leaders were to discuss issues of public interest. After investigation our office has discovered that many of these alleged meetings never took place with the public officials and community leaders. To date, it is estimated that meetings costing over $2,000 were charged as village expenses."

"Trudden has been charged with Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree, a Class D Felony, as well as Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, and Defrauding the Government, all Class E Felonies," said Dillon. "If convicted, Trudden faces up to seven years in prison. Trudden will be arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead today."

"I would like to thank the office of the New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, Deputy Comptroller Robert Brackman and Chief Investigative Counsel Samantha Biletsky for their assistance and cooperation during this investigation," Dillon concluded.

"Our auditors found extensive mismanagement of taxpayer dollars, including unwarranted perks and excessive credit card usage by Mr. Trudden and other village employees. This is inexcusable behavior and an abuse of the public's trust," said State Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi. "I commend District Attorney Denis Dillon for aggressively pursuing this matter. The arrest of Mr. Trudden is a reminder to all public employees that, if they violate the public's trust, they will be pursued and punished to the fullest extent of the law."

The charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.