Breaking News: Lafazan Tried to Con Locust Valley Schools - with $30K “Fake” Check

By Mark Demetropoulos

In another “unbelievable” scam - just days before the election - Nassau Legislator Joshua Lafazan presented the Locust Valley School Board with a “fake” $30,000 prop check from Nassau County - allegedly for a grant to help school children. Except there was no grant money. Nothing approved. He hadn't even applied for it.

Lafazan attended the October 18th Locust Valley Board of Education meeting where he presented a $30,000 prop check, claiming he "secured" a grant for a program that helps students with anxiety and depression.

Lafazan took lots of photos - of him grinning and presenting the Board with the mocked-up $30,000 check. The photos - and Lafazan's false claims of securing the funds - were posted all over social media.

Except Lafazan never secured the funds. He never even submitted a grant application. Nothing.

After the social media posts went up, the Leader reached out last week to Nassau County for further information for a story. In an unexpected twist, Nassau County could not locate any paperwork related to the supposed grant. It did not exist.

Lafazan's claims of securing a $30,000 "grant" were fake. He never even filed an application. Nothing.

Then Lafazan scurried to “cover-up.” He finally filed the grant paperwork AFTER the Leader contacted Nassau County - and two weeks AFTER he had presented the dummy check to Locust Valley.

According to county administrators, eligibility for such a grant may not even exist. And it will take months to review. In other words, there might NEVER be any grant money.

“It’s highly irregular for a legislator to present public dollars before they have been approved or submitted for such a grant,” said Nassau County Legislative spokesperson Mary Studdert. “This has never happened before.”