Blumenthal Calls Marshal’s Alleged Shakedowns “Deeply Disturbing”

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Wednesday that he’s looking into whether to investigate civil or criminal questions about the role of a New Haven marshal in collecting taxes.

Blumenthal made the comment in a release issued one day after the Independent reported on a New Haven government audit about the activities of politically connected marshal Peter Criscuolo. Auditors reported eight examples of Criscuolo allegedly collecting excessive fees based on “coercion,” an erroneous tax warrant, or misrepresented facts. Criscuolo managed to “coerce” a $5,000 delinquent tax fee from one business that had already paid up—and “misrepresented” facts in order to collect a $2,000 fee on a $133 tax bill, according to the audit. The administration of Mayor John DeStefano reformed its marshal policy in the wake of the audit, but spent close to a year trying to keep its findings private. And it has resumed working with Criscuolo, a mayoral fundraiser (who did not respond to requests for comment on the audit).

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