DeNucci’s cousin, Guy Spezzano – a meat company salesman and professional jazz musician – earned $40,545 a year, plus benefits, until he went on sick leave a year and a half after he was hired.
Joseph DeNucciBOSTON - Former state Auditor Joseph DeNucci has conceded that he violated state conflict of interest law by hiring his “unqualified 75-year-old cousin” to a position as a fraud examiner, State Ethics Commission officials announced Monday.
DeNucci agreed to pay a $2,000 penalty, according to the announcement, which came 11 months after the commission made the allegations.
DeNucci’s cousin, Guy Spezzano – a meat company salesman and professional jazz musician – was hired to the full-time post in June 2008, earning $40,545 a year, plus benefits, until he went on sick leave Dec. 1, 2009. Spezzano was terminated after he used all his sick time.
State law prohibits employees from using their official position “to secure for himself or others, unwarranted privileges which are of substantial value and which are not available to similarly situated individuals.”
According to the allegations, DeNucci directed his employees to interview his cousin, and he later agreed to hire him. DeNucci’s admission and agreement to pay a penalty cancels the need for a hearing, according to the Ethics Commission.
DeNucci worked as state auditor from 1987 to 2011. He was replace by Suzanne Bump.
According to forms released by the commission, DeNucci signed the disposition agreement on June 20. Ethics Commissioner Executive Director Karen Nober signed it Monday.
When the allegations were first announced in September, DeNucci’s lawyer, Thomas Kiley, said DeNucci planned to fight the allegations.
DeNucci "is a battler, and to walk away from this fight at the end of his career, that's really not like him because there is a principle here that he may be forced to defend,” Kiley said at the time. “It would be wrong for us to just leave that ground uncovered for other constitutional officers.”