Former city and state Comptroller Alan Hevesi, whose career ended after being ensnared in corruption scandals, died Thursday morning, his family announced. He was 83.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of our father, Alan Hevesi,” the family said in a statement.
“Alan passed away peacefully surrounded by his children and loved ones after a prolonged illness. We will miss him and his laughter more than words can express.”
A force in New York City politics, Hevesi ran for mayor unsuccessfully in 2001 after serving as city comptroller. He then was elected state comptroller in 2002.
The Forest Hill resident’s career ended after pleading guilty to defrauding the government for using state workers as chauffeurs to run errands for his wife.
He later confessed to taking $1 million from a pension-fund investor to finance gifts and trips and campaign contributions in a case prosecuted by then-state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
The quid pro quo included accepting trips for himself and his family to Israel, Italy and California and $500,000 in donations arranged by the investor who won $250 million in pension-fund business.
The Forest Hills resident previously served as a state assemblyman and taught political science at Queens College.
Hevesi was a staunch supporter of Israel. His parents fled Hungary to escape the Nazis.
He is survived by two sons, Alan, a state Assemblyman from Queens and Dan.
The funeral service is Sunday, 3:30pm at Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapels, Forest Hills.
The family will receive visitors on Monday and Tuesday 10:00am – 1:00pm and 5:00pm – 8:00pm at 68-10 Ingram Street, Forest Hills.
In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations in his name be made to support the UJA Federation of New York’s Israel Emergency Fund, ujafedny.org.