08/13/2026
WHY IS SULLIVAN COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE "SHIFTY" SCHIFF ORDERING DEPUTIES NOT TO TALK TO THE FBI?
Something is funky in Sullivan County, New York. And it's not the old bagels in Monticello.
Recently, the FBI began investigating corruption in Sullivan County, a run down, derelict New York County falling apart due to decades of corruption, mismanagement, and personal enrichment that's caused property taxes to go so high, it's turning large parts of the area into urban and rural dead zones.
But the FBI had a problem when they began to speak around town; deputies told the agents that Sheriff Mike "Shifty" Schiff's undersheriff, Undersheriff Chaboty, was ordering deputies NOT to talk to the Feds. One deputy apologetically told FBI agents he didn't want to "“go against the undersheriff," and another, Deputy Lopez, said Undersheriff Chaboty "cornered" him one day while on duty, ordering him not to talk to any FBI.
So why might the Sheriff of Sullivan not want his deputies talking with the Feds?
đź”´ the ammo running scandal:
Current and former employees told federal investigators about ammunition Chaboty allegedly purchased personally through arrangements involving the Sheriff’s Office. Chaboty says Schiff approved the arrangement, so it's all legal. Why was the Sheriff buying personal ammo through the County? What other personal expenses were bought through the County?
đź”´ An accident report was allegedly changed at the undersheriff's direction. Whistleblower and Former Lt. Slavik testified under oath that Chaboty ordered changes to a 2020 crash report involving a Liberty police vehicle, allegedly shifting blame away from the officer. Chaboty says the amendment was legitimate and that changing reports when necessary is normal police procedure.
đź”´ A former lieutenant said he believed several reports had been altered. Slavik testified that he had been trying to obtain one of the reports for the FBI before being placed on administrative leave and later retiring.
đź”´ Some employees said they feared retaliation. A current deputy and a former longtime deputy who spoke to the Times Union requested anonymity because they said they feared retaliation.
đź”´ A loaded handgun made it all the way into the Sullivan County Jail. The sheriff tried to cover it up.
A suspect allegedly passed through arrest processing, questioning, arraignment and jail intake with a loaded .22-caliber handgun still hidden in his coat. It was discovered only after another inmate reportedly heard him talking about it.
Worst of all, the Sheriff tried to cover it up. It didn't become public until an anonymous tip exposed it to the State and Public. The Sheriff claimed the failure to properly log and document the incident was "an oversight."
What other mishaps in the County have not been reported due to "oversights?"
đź”´ There were disputed favoritism and inappropriate-relationship allegations inside the department. Former and current employees raised questions concerning former Deputy Michele Resnick, an inmate and Chaboty. Schiff and Chaboty denied a cover-up and said the matter had been reviewed internally.
What was discovered internally? Why was it investigated "internally?" Can a department that covers up loaded handguns slipping into it's jail be trusted with internal reviews?
đź”´ Bloomingburg election corruption:
Sullivan County Developers Shalom Lamm and Kenneth Nakdimen were convicted and sentenced after federal prosecutors said they tried to corrupt the Bloomingburg election by filing false voter registrations and paying bribes to voters in order to elect officials favorable to their development plans.
Former Mamakating Supervisor Harold Baird also pleaded guilty to conspiring to submit false registrations.
đź”´ drug smuggling into State facilities:
In July 2026, Sullivan County prosecutors announced a public-corruption investigation in which former correction officer Kyle Raven was indicted for allegedly taking money in exchange for smuggling methamphetamine and cellphones into the state prison. A civilian vendor and inmates were also accused of participating in the scheme. These are current charges, not convictions.
🔴 The Resorts World Catskills deal raises major transparency/conflict questions. Sullivan County’s IDA and a newly created development corporation pursued a roughly $585 million casino rescue/bond transaction, with substantial portions discussed in executive session. The Times Union found that by October 2025, $325,000 had been paid to IDA counsel Walter Garigliano and $121,000 to the law firm where his wife, Barbara Garigliano, worked, while contracts explaining the work were not publicly produced in response to requests. State guidance says hiring counsel itself is not a proper reason for executive session.
🔴 The Sullivan County IDA previously approved a tax-break project involving a board member’s spouse. A 2013 State Comptroller audit found there was no effective system for identifying financial conflicts. One project received a PILOT agreement even though a SCIDA board member was married to one of the project's two partners. The Comptroller specifically recommended improving conflict-of-interest screening.
đź”´ the insolvency and looting of Monticello:
A State Comptroller investigation into the City of Monticello found the city in a dismal financial situation. The City couldn't even determine it's own financial position, had over $147,000 in insufficient-funds notices, and was so incompetently run, it wasn't collecting basic taxes, specifically the accounts due for city officials. Accident? Or corruption?
đź”´ Monticello payroll overpayments were substantial. A later Comptroller audit found 11 employees received about $141,800 in erroneous compensation. That included roughly $80,000 in overpayments to the deputy clerk, $49,000 to nine police officers and about $12,800 involving a payroll clerk who accrued unauthorized leave and paid herself for more time than she was entitled to.
đź”´ Monticello's accounting was so poor that $5 million in property-tax revenue wasn't posted to its books. The Comptroller found late bank reconciliations, financial reports that weren't prepared for the board and annual reports commonly filed more than 200 days late.
đź”´ Former Monticello Mayor Gordon Jenkins was convicted in a corruption case. Prosecutors said Jenkins moved ahead with demolition of the old village courthouse without board approval and bribed local contractors connected to the demolition. He later tried to overturn the conviction.
All of these incidents listed are what is publicly known. One must ask, what isn't publicly known? Perhaps that's what the FBI wanted to find out.
But thanks to the Dept of SHIFTY Mike Schiff stonewalling the FBI, the public may never know.
