New York Consolidated Laws, Education Law - EDN § 525. Protection against fraud

1. Any person who shall knowingly make any false statement, or shall falsify or permit to be falsified any record or records of this retirement system in any attempt to defraud such system as a result of such act, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punishable therefor under the laws of the state of New York.

2. Any violation of subdivision one of this section that results in a member or beneficiary of the retirement system receiving a benefit or payment in excess of one thousand dollars more than he or she would have been entitled to shall be a class E felony. Any violation of subdivision one of this section that results in a member or beneficiary of the retirement system to receive a benefit or payment in excess of three thousand dollars more than he or she would have been entitled to shall be a class D felony.

3. Should any change or error in records result in any employee or beneficiary receiving from the retirement system more or less than he would have been entitled to receive had the records been correct, then, on the discovery of any such error, the retirement board shall correct such error, and, as far as practicable, shall adjust the payments in such a manner that the actuarial equivalent of the benefit to which he was correctly entitled shall be paid.