What to Know
- Ken Thompson used funds from his office to pay for personal meals for about a year
- He also had members of his security detail use their own money to buy him food on occasion
- Thompson reimbursed his office and security detail members, but the use of the money still violates city law, authorities say
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson has agreed to pay a $15,000 fine for using several thousand dollars in office funds to pay for his personal meals for about a year, and in some cases, he had the members of his security detail use their own money to purchase his food, authorities say.
Thompson reimbursed his office for the $2,043 he used on weekday meals from January 2014 to May 2014 and for the $1,489 he used to buy dinner and weekday meals from January 2014 to February 2015, according to the New York Conflicts of Interest Board, which negotiated the settlement.
The security detail members who had to shell out money for Thompson's food also were paid back, the COIB said. But using the office funds for his food violates the city's conflicts of interest law.
According to the COIB, Thompson admitted his conduct violated legal provisions that prohibit elected officials and other public servants from using city resources for any personal, non-city purpose and from using their positions to obtain any private or personal advantage.
Thompson also acknowledged that having subordinates regularly advance their own money to cover his meals constituted a prohibited financial relationship, according to the COIB.
In determining the fine amount, the agency said it took into consideration that all the funds had been reimbursed, but also "the high level of accountability required for the chief prosecutor of Brooklyn."
Thompson's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter.
