AG sues lawyer who collected 6 pensions

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - The New York state attorney general says he plans to sue a Long Island lawyer who allegedly collected pensions from six school districts.

Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says 69-year-old Lawrence Reich of Centerport has improperly collected more than $83,000. Cuomo has been investigating whether lawyers who work for firms hired by schools are also being listed as school employees and
thereby getting pension benefits at taxpayer expense.

He claims that between 1978 and 2006, Reich was improperly listed as an employee of the Baldwin, Bellmore-Merrick, East Meadow, Copiague, Freeport and Harborfields school districts.

Reich's attorney, Peter Tomao, said Monday that Reich is entitled to the money and is appealing the suspension of his school-related pension.