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Ex-Special Needs Head Forfeits Some Pension Money

The former director of an agency for special needs children will forfeit more than $764,000 in public pension payments due to a recent decision by the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System.

The agency concluded that John Barranco exceeded the allowable limit on earnings from a public agency while receiving retirement funds and must pay the money back.

The money will be forfeited over the next 6 1/2 years.

Barranco is the former head of the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative who came under fire after a state Inspector General's report alleged $37 million in questionable or undocumented expenses in fiscal years 2008-2010.

A lawyer for Barranco tells The Boston Globe that the retirement system's decision is "an elaborate construction of fact and innuendo," and has appealed.

This program aired on October 26, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

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