Inspector General Upcovers Corruption in Upstate Theatre Group

According to a report by the New York Times, Patricia Snyder of the New York State Theatre Institute has been accused by the inspector general's office of illegal conduct.  The artistic director was accused of using the state's money to enrich herelf and her family.  The  theatre group reportedly recieves much more funding than any of the state's other cultural institutions.

The report ellaborates that Snyder used over $700,00 of the state's money for her own benefit.  She is also accused of spending over $38,000 on expensive dinners and limozines.  She also purchased the rights to 'Miracle on 34th Street' and then transferred them to the members of her family.  Each of them gained $38,000 from the fraud.

Snyder denies the accusations, and her lawyer commented, "This report is mean spirited and monumental nonsense.  It reflects a significant misunderstanding of the theatrical arts, and it does not give credit to Patricia for the remarkable job she's done to make this organization recognized not just across New York, but nationally."

"The nepotism issue is bogus because every single family member is nationally recognized in their field," Mr. Jones said. "They are better at what they do than anybody else is, or at least as good. To try to make something ugly about the talent these people represent is really destructive and mean."

To read the full article, visit:  www.nytimes.com.