Nassau County District Attorney Denis Dillon recently announced that the former Village of Farmingdale Mayor Joseph Trudden, 55, of Farmingdale, pled guilty to two Class E Felonies, including Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree and Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree.

Trudden was arrested by the District Attorney's Special Investigations Bureau on Jan. 12 for 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 investigating, our office discovered that many of these meetings never took place with the public officials and community leaders. To date, it is estimated that meetings costing $2,123.02 were charged as village expenses. As part of the plea negotiation, Trudden has agreed to pay the full amount as restitution to the Village of Farmingdale pertaining to the criminal matter. In addition, Trudden has agreed to pay $20,000 to the Village of Farmingdale to settle the village's civil claim prior to sentencing."

Trudden's attorney, Joseph R. Conway, of LaRusso & Conway in Mineola, refutes that Trudden has officially agreed to pay $20,000.

"We've had settlement discussions, but have not reached a finite conclusion yet," Conway said. "The deal has not been officially consummated."

"During his excellent tenure as mayor, Mr. Trudden made a mistake in judgment by receiving reimbursement for meals that he was not entitled to," Conway stated in a press release. "Mr. Trudden has acknowledged his error and has made full restitution of $2,123.02."

However, according to Katie Grilli-Robles, public information officer in Dillon's office, "Mr. Trudden waived the right to appeal, waived his right to a restitution hearing, agreed to pay restitution up front of $2,123.02 to the Village of Farmingdale and agreed to settle a civil claim by the Village of Farmingdale for $20,000 prior to sentencing."

The board of trustees of the Incorporated Village of Farmingdale ratified this settlement at a board meeting Tuesday, April 26.

"The resolution, reached by Mayor Graf of the Village of Farmingdale, the Office of the District Attorney Nassau County and Joseph M. Trudden in the matter of People v. Joseph M. Trudden, states that upon the village's receipt of $22,123.02, the Village of Farmingdale will settle its civil claim for $63,000.00 against Mr. Trudden for funds misappropriated through the use of his village issued credit card by entering into a general release," Village Attorney Greg Carman read at the meeting.

After Trudden pled guilty to the above charges, Comptroller Alan G. Hevesi called his actions "an appalling violation of the public's trust."

"It is good news for the people of Farmingdale that he will be held accountable for his actions," Hevesi said. "I commend District Attorney Denis Dillon for aggressively pursuing this wrongdoing."

Trudden is scheduled to be sentenced by Nassau County Court Judge Victor Ort May 31.