39 Facts About Alan Hevesi

Alan George Hevesi was a convicted felon and American politician who served as a New York State Assemblyman from 1971 to 1993, as New York City Comptroller from 1994 to 2001, and as New York State Comptroller from 2003 to 2006.

In February 2007, Alan Hevesi was sentenced to a $5,000 fine and permanently banned from holding elective office.

Four years later, Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty to corruption charges surrounding a "pay to play" scheme regarding the New York State Pension Fund.

Alan George Hevesi was born in Manhattan on January 31,1940, and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, where he primarily resided for the rest of his life.

Alan Hevesi's parents were Jewish immigrants who left Hungary in 1938 to escape the Nazis.

Alan Hevesi's father was Eugene Alan Hevesi, a Hungarian-born American Jewish leader who served as foreign affairs secretary for the American Jewish Committee and as representative to the United Nations for several Jewish NGOs.

Alan Hevesi's brother, Dennis, a reporter for The New York Times and Newsday, died in 2017.

Alan Hevesi earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1962 from Queens College, CUNY.

Alan Hevesi taught political science at Queens College for more than 30 years.

Alan Hevesi married Carol Stanton in 1967; they had three children and were married until her death in 2015.

Alan Hevesi died from Lewy body dementia at a care home in East Meadow, New York, on November 9,2023, at the age of 83.

On November 2,1971, Hevesi was elected to the New York State Assembly to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Emanuel R Gold.

Alan Hevesi took his seat during a special session in December 1971.

Alan Hevesi unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for city comptroller in 1989, as did Frank Macchiarola.

In May 1993, Alan Hevesi began his second campaign for city comptroller.

Alan Hevesi defeated Holtzman to secure the Democratic nomination, then Badillo, who contested the general election as a fusion candidate of the Republican Party and Liberal Party.

Alan Hevesi recruited many other states' and municipalities' financial officers to put their powers in the service of this cause, at one point calling them to a conference in New York at which they discussed ways to coordinate their actions for maximum effect.

Sanctions against Switzerland having seemed successful in securing the $1.25 billion settlement, Alan Hevesi then brought the power of the ad hoc network he had constructed to bear on subsequent actions against Germany, Austria, and other countries, where its use was deemed successful in raising the amounts of the settlements.

Alan Hevesi served as New York City Comptroller from 1994 to 2002, when he was term-limited out of the office.

In 2001, Alan Hevesi sought the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York, running on the platform of "Most Experienced, Best Qualified".

Alan Hevesi finished fourth, behind Public Advocate Mark Green, Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer, and New York City Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr.

In November 2006, Alan Hevesi was reelected as New York State Comptroller.

On December 23,2006, Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty to a single felony, agreed to pay a fine of $5,000, and immediately resigned as comptroller.

On September 21,2006, Alan Hevesi admitted that he used Nicholas Acquafredda, a state employee and member of his security detail, to drive and aid his ailing wife Carol.

Alan Hevesi claimed that in 2003, the State Ethics Commission decided that he should pay back the entire cost of having a state employee chauffeur his wife unless such services were necessary for safety purposes.

On September 26,2006, after his Republican challenger, Christopher Callaghan, asked the Albany County District Attorney's office to investigate the matter, Alan Hevesi said he would reimburse the state more than $82,000 for having a public employee chauffeur his wife.

Alan Hevesi had admitted the previous week that he had not previously reimbursed the state.

Alan Hevesi claimed that drivers were needed to provide security to his wife, though a bipartisan ethics panel concluded that the State Police found no threat that would justify such an arrangement.

The panel concluded that Alan Hevesi had no intention of repaying the state for the services rendered to his wife until Callaghan publicly filed a complaint.

On October 12,2006, Albany County District Attorney David Soares' office acknowledged that it was officially investigating actions by Alan Hevesi regarding the public employee hired to chauffeur his wife.

On December 12,2006, Alan Hevesi agreed to a deal that called for the $90,000 in escrow money to be turned over to the state and for him to pay an additional $33,605 within 10 days, making his payback total $206,000.

That month, Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty to a felony for misusing state funds.

Alan Hevesi met with his California counterpart, comptroller Steve Westly, and Elliott Broidy of Markstone Capital Group.

The Sun reported that in June 2003, Alan Hevesi had invested $200 million in Markstone.

On October 7,2010, Alan Hevesi pleaded guilty to accepting gratuities for steering the investment funds to California venture capitalist Elliot Broidy.

Alan Hevesi had accepted $75,000 in trips for himself and his family and $500,000 in campaign contributions, and benefited from $380,000 given to a lobbyist.

Alan Hevesi began his prison term as inmate 11-R-1334 at Ulster Correctional Facility on April 17,2011.

Alan Hevesi went before a parole board on November 14,2012, and was released on parole on December 19,2012.

Alan Hevesi served 20 months of a maximum four-year sentence.