ALBANY, N.Y. — An Albany man who stole more than $230,000 in pension and Social Security benefits from an elderly New York state pensioner has been sentenced to state prison, according to State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
Devin Zielinski was sentenced to 2 to 6 years in state prison and ordered to pay $115,000 in restitution. His partner, Amber Diacetis, was previously sentenced to time served in jail, ordered to pay $100,000 in restitution, and placed on five years of probation.
Authorities said Zielinski failed to appear for his initial sentencing hearing in June and was later located in Cohoes with help from the Cohoes Police Department. He was arrested on October 10, 2025.
Investigators determined that Zielinski and Diacetis persuaded the 87-year-old victim to let them serve as live-in caregivers and manage his finances. Between January 2018 and August 2023, the pair stole the victim’s monthly $3,526 pension and $2,138 Social Security payments, draining approximately $230,000 from his bank account.
Because of the theft, the victim’s mortgage, property taxes, and other bills went unpaid for years. Officials said the home went into foreclosure, utilities were shut off, and the victim’s vehicle was repossessed. Authorities also reported the man was living in poor conditions and in need of care, which he has since received. Zielinski continued living in the home even after the victim was removed and foreclosure proceedings began.
Zielinski pleaded guilty in April to grand larceny in the third degree and was sentenced by Judge Jennifer Sober in Rensselaer County Court.
