State employee arrested for falsifying rental-car statements with phony mileage and time logs

“This defendant’s alleged routine fabrications were an affront to the public trust and a corrupt distortion of routine time and mileage records,” Leahy Scott said. “Her contemptuous excuses only furthered her culpability…”

The investigation by Leahy Scott’s office found that Miller repeatedly falsified the mileage as well as the pick-up and drop-off times on car-rental company receipts from rentals she regularly used for her government job. Miller typically rented vehicles to perform her job duties, which involved driving across the Finger Lakes and Central New York regions to meet with OCFS employees on EAP matters.

The charges against Miller directly relate to two dates in May and June but court records show she admitted “routinely” altering and submitting those falsified vehicle rental receipts for work. “I’ve been doing it forever so it’s almost habit, where it’s obviously not allowed to be done…That is one thing I’ve done all along, I think every time I’ve travelled,” Miller told an investigator, according to court records. Each time Miller submitted a rental receipt with OCFS she certified it as “true and accurate,” the release stated.

Miller was arraigned on the charges Tuesday evening and released pending her appearance in the City of Syracuse Court on Monday, Dec. 3.

Leahy Scott said the New York State Police assisted with the arrest and Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick and his office are prosecuting the matter.

Contact Rombel at arombel@cnybj.com