An Ulster County courthouse.
By June Mercer | November 11, 2026
Peter DiSclafani, 68, the former supervisor of the Town of Shandaken in Ulster County, was arrested Nov. 5 after a grand jury indicted him on charges of grand larceny and official misconduct. Prosecutors say he used his position to secure a $50,000 loan from town funds for his own benefit.
DiSclafani faces one count of grand larceny in the third degree, a crime that falls under public corruption statutes, along with two counts of official misconduct.
The Loan
According to the State Comptroller's office, DiSclafani applied for and received the loan in May 2024 through the Shandaken Area Revitalization Project Committee, known as SHARP. The town paid SHARP, a not-for-profit corporation, to administer loans under federal grant programs. SHARP distributed money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Community Development Block Grant program. Prosecutors allege DiSclafani obtained the loan without proper authorization.
Town Board Action
The Shandaken town board voted May 5, 2025, to end its contract with SHARP. It also tasked DiSclafani with identifying all outstanding SHARP loans made with town funds and arranging for repayment. The vote came roughly a year after DiSclafani had received the loan.
Officials and Court
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji announced the arrest on Nov. 5. DiSclafani was arraigned in Ulster County Court before Judge Bryan Rounds. He is due back in court Jan. 7, 2027.
DiNapoli said in a statement: "DiSclafani allegedly took advantage of his position to loan himself town funds for his personal benefit."
The charges are accusations. DiSclafani is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
