Stringer: Former CEO, Other Officials Used Queens Library As 'Personal Piggy Bank'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An audit by City Comptroller Scott Stringer has uncovered some wild spending at the Queens Borough Public Library.
The 18-month audit found former CEO Thomas Galante and his executive team used an internal fund as their own "personal piggy bank," Stringer said.
He accused library officials of stealing $300,000.
"Galante spent more than $260,000 on prohibited items, including hundreds of suspicious restaurant and liquor bills totaling $76,000," Stringer said.
Audit Finds Executives Used Queens Library As 'Personal Piggy Bank'
Galante also spent $22,000 on furniture for his office and a personal smoking deck and nearly $2,000 for Maroon 5 concert tickets, and bought two tickets to Disneyland, Stringer said.
The audit also found that while the library system was cutting back hours, executive pay rose by 7 percent.
"As they were scaling back access to books, the Internet and vital programs and services, they were lining their own pockets," Stringer said.
The money came from an internal city fund that ran on million-dollar deficits.
"It enabled Galante and company to go to the City Council and plead poverty, demanding more and more money," Stringer said.
Stringer Calls Findings Of Queens Library Audit Sickening
Stringer said the current interim CEO, Bridget Quinn-Carey, also used the internal fund for lavish meals, gasoline and electronics.
"I think her tenure as interim CEO raises some serious questions," Stringer said.
The news has residents fuming.
"Those were funds that could have clearly been used for services for the community," said Astoria resident Ayiesha Mayfield.
"That's really not fair for the kids," said 11-year-old Jordan. "That money, they can get more books."
The findings have been referred to the Internal Revenue Service and law enforcement for possible criminal prosecution.
