That was the way a Suffolk prosecutor described a wedding scheme operated by Brookhaven Town Clerk Pamela Betheil and her husband, Irwin, who allegedly scheduled ceremonies for her and acted in concert to defraud newlyweds, following the couple's arraignment in Riverhead Court Wednesday morning.
The husband and wife were charged collectively in a seven-count indictment that included charges that Ms. Betheil overcharged couples for officiating at their wedding ceremonies while Mr. Betheil acted as her booking agent, according to Assistant District Attorney Mark Murray of the Governmental Corruption Unit. Ms. Betheil and her husband, Mr. Murray said, defrauded 1,100 couples -- that's an average of at least one per day -- out of thousands of dollars in additional marriage fees during her first three years in office.
"That's an ungodly amount of ceremonies," Mr. Murray said outside the courtroom.
As part of the alleged marriage scheme, Mr. Murray said the Betheils charged $200 for marriage ceremonies performed outside Brookhaven Town Hall, when both state and local law limits the amount to $75. Mr. Betheil, who is retired from the computer technology field, also used public resources in his wife's office such as fax machines, office supplies and the services of town clerical staff while he scheduled the ceremonies, Mr. Murray said. In another part of the scheme, Ms. Betheil conducted weddings, one followed by another, after business hours at Town Hall, Mr. Murray said. However, she only charged $75 for the those ceremonies, Mr. Murray said.
"[Couples] would be stacked up like cordwood," Mr. Murray said.
Mr. Murray alleged that Ms. Betheil forged the name of a witness at the ceremony of at least one couple. He said the marriage is still considered legal.
Ms. Betheil, 63, and Mr. Betheil, 67, were charged with two counts each of first-degree scheming to defraud and official misconduct. In addition, Ms. Betheil also faces separate felony charges of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first-degree offering to file a false instrument and receiving a reward for official misconduct. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Mr. Betheil had been appointed by his wife as a volunteer deputy town clerk in 2006, shortly after she took office. Later that year, the town's ethics board ruled that the appointment constituted a conflict of interest. Mr. Betheil quickly resigned.
Ms. Betheil offered the following statement to The Sun on the day she learned of the ethics board ruling: "It's a sad day when someone of talent and experience cannot volunteer his time at no cost to the taxpayer. But we have raised the bar on ethics in the town and as an individual who always conducted myself by the rules, I will abide by the rules of the ethics board."
Neither spoke to reporters after leaving the courtroom Wednesday. Mr. Betheil shielded his face with his umbrella as the couple entered a nearby elevator on their way out of the courthouse.
Hauppauge attorney James O'Rourke, who represents the Betheils, said they have been married over 30 years and have two children together. He scoffed at the charges, adding, "He is charged with acting in concert, the Bonnie and Clyde of the marrying kind, has been indicted."
Mr. O'Rourke denied any wrongdoing on the part of the Betheils, citing the fact that the information was offered voluntarily and that anywhere between $12,000 and $14,000 has been returned. Mr. O'Rourke called the charges selective enforcement and pointed out that the scenario will provide the premise for their defense. Other marriage officers including judges in the county have employed similar practices but they have not been prosecuted by the District Attorney's office, Mr. O'Rourke said.
"I think they looked at dancing with a mailman and marrying a horse as well," Mr. O'Rourke said.
But Mr. Murray rejected any suggestion that the couple are being singled out and would not comment as to the existence of any other investigation or lack thereof.
Ms. Betheil faces up to seven years in prison and Mr. Betheil four years in prison, Mr. Murray said. The couple, who were released on their own recognizance, will appear before Judge Stephen Braslow next month. In the meantime, Mr. Murray said, the next step in the process will be a Gomberg inquiry conducted by the court.
"Essentially, what that means is that the court will conduct an inquiry of both of them on the record and make them understand the pitfalls that exist of having one attorney represent both of them," Mr. Murray said.
peggy@northshoresun.com