Man scammed I.P. HUD program

Louis Abate, the former fiscal director of the Nassau County Office of Housing and Community Development, was arrested on July 27 and charged with stealing more than $120,000 in federal funds that were supposed to be used to help low-income Island Park families.

Abate, 49, of Massapequa, held his position with the county from 2004 to 2012. According to a deposition filed in U.S. District Court in April, Abate oversaw the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 program in Island Park from May 2009 to August 2011.

The Section 8 program reduces housing costs for low-income families and individuals. Locally it is run by the Nassau County Office of Housing and Community Development, which disperses the federal funds to landlords with Section 8 tenants. Abate routinely sent out checks to local landlords.

“In these difficult economic times, the defendant abdicated his responsibilities and pocketed funds earmarked for low-income Long Islanders in need of financial assistance for one of the most basic necessities — affordable housing,” said Loretta E. Lynch, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “He will now be held to account for his actions.”

According to the deposition, from 2009 to 2011, Abate allegedly signed a check to a landlord named J.M. Watson each month for approximately $4,950 — more than three times the amount received by any other Section 8 landlord in Island Park. An investigation revealed that the checks were being deposited into a bank account owned by Abate and his wife, Joanne, whose maiden name was Watson. Neither Abate nor his wife are landlords.

After investigators initially questioned Abate in January 2012 about those checks, his coworkers claimed that he said he was sick and essentially stopped coming to work. He was eventually fired because of his excessive absences.

In total, Abate allegedly stole $122,250 in federal funds. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and could pay a fine of $250,000.

“Those stolen funds could have gone to the many low- to moderate-income families who remain on the waiting list for such benefits,” said Cary Rubenstein, special agent in charge of HUD’s Office of Inspector General. “Instead, Abate allegedly tried to enrich himself with public monies.”

Michael Paul, Abate’s attorney, declined to comment about the case.