Comptroller Stringer Announces Formation Of Research & Investigation Unit
New Unit is Housed within Bureau of Audit
Lisa Kutlin named Director of Research and Investigation
(New York, NY) – Invoking section § 93(b) of the City Charter, which gives the Comptroller “power to audit and investigate” City finances, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer announced today the creation of a new Research and Investigation Unit within the Bureau of Audit. The Research and Investigation Unit is comprised of a team of lawyers and data analysts with extensive backgrounds in financial, criminal and public corruption investigations. The Unit will serve as an adjunct to the Audit Bureau, supporting its work with analysis and investigations, and will be responsible for compiling detailed information that can be used by other agencies in the case of criminal referrals.
“This new investigation team is a powerful addition to our arsenal,” Comptroller Stringer said. “Their work will enable us to dig even deeper into the agencies we audit as we fulfill our mandate to root out fraud and save City taxpayers’ hard-earned money.”
Comptroller Stringer also announced the appointment of Lisa Kutlin to the post of Director of Research and Investigations, and Sam Burness to the post of Deputy Director of Research and Investigations. The new unit reports to Marjorie Landa, Deputy Comptroller for Audit.
“Lisa and Sam are both top-notch professionals who have already distinguished themselves as champions of good government,” Ms. Landa said. “I look forward to working with both of them – and the entire Research and Investigations team – in the months and years ahead as we continue to build out the capabilities of the Audit Bureau.”
Prior to joining the Comptroller’s office, Lisa Kutlin worked at the New York City Department of Investigation and in that capacity served as Inspector General for a number of City agencies, including the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the New York City Employee Retirement System, and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Prior to that, she prosecuted civil fraud cases at the Office of the New Jersey Attorney General, and clerked for then-U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey Jerome B. Simandle and for then-Chief Justice Deborah Poritz of the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Prior to joining the Comptroller’s Office, Sam Burness served as an investigative attorney for the New York State Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption and worked on fraud litigation in private practice.
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