By MATT CHANDLER
mchandler@bizjournals.com | 716-541-1654

A Snyder attorney was indicted last week by the Manhattan District Attorney's office for allegedly stealing more than $211,000 from the New York Thruway Employees Local 72 union.

Kevin Clor, 34, served as general counsel for the union from 2001 until April 21, 2011, representing union members in disciplinary hearings, grievance procedures and arbitration cases.

Clor was indicted on two counts of second-degree grand larceny, 16 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and 16 counts of first-degree falsifying business documents.

Beginning in January 2006, Clor is alleged to have stolen more than $211,000 from the union by submitting 150 forged receipts for which he was reimbursed.

"As general counsel of the New York State Thruway Employees union, the defendant had a duty to protect the rights and financial well-being of the union's members," said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. in a statement. "Instead of representing their best interests, he stands accused of violating their trust and used his position to enrich himself illegally."

The DA's office outlined several of the alleged false reimbursements Clor stands accused of submitting. Among them:

• He was reimbursed $30,000 for CLE classes offered through the International Foundation that he never attended or paid for, according to the indictment.

• He submitted receipts totaling more than $48,000 for CLE classes allegedly given by the "Education Certification Department" of the New York State Department of Civil Service in Albany. NYSDCS does not operate such a department and the address listed on the receipts is not valid, according to the Manhattan DA. 

• Clor claimed to have attended CLE classes, totaling more than $23,000, provided by Nichols School of Buffalo, which does not conduct CLE programs. 

• He submitted receipts totaling more than $22,000 for numerous legal reference materials he claimed to have purchased from Thomson Reuters. In a statement announcing the indictment, the DA's office said the receipts bear the wrong corporate name of the company and include the names of alleged salespeople who are not employees of Thomson Reuters. Additionally, some of the books Clor claimed to have purchased were not published by Thomson Reuters. 

• He is charged with submitting forged UPS receipts totaling more than $37,000 for copying and mailing services. The address listed on the receipts is not an actual UPS store location. Additionally, there are no records of the transactions listed on the forged receipts.

Attempts to reach Clor for comment were unsuccessful. His business telephone number has been disconnected.

In total, he was indicted on 34 felony charges. Under New York state law, any attorney who is convicted of a felony faces automatic disbarment.