On May 29th, Council Member Zhuang Wenyi, along with New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, community leaders, and local business owners, visited businesses along 8th Avenue in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park. They presented refund checks to five shop owners, including Chinatown Optometry, Zhengye Fruit and Vegetable Meat Market, Longbao Pastry Shop, and Wong Village Seafood Restaurant, encouraging more residents and businesses to inquire about any “unclaimed money” they may have.
According to the data from the Comptroller’s office, as of 2026, approximately $293 million in unclaimed funds has been returned to New York State residents, with an average daily return of around $2 million statewide. In the Brooklyn area alone, nearly $1 billion in funds remains unclaimed.
On that day, one business received a check for over $8,000. The benefiting businesses admitted that they were unaware of the unclaimed funds they possessed. Upon receiving the notification and completing the verification process, they were pleasantly surprised to reclaim the “forgotten money.” It is understood that most of these funds have been left unclaimed for over two years.
Zhuang Wenyi stated that her district, the 43rd District, is one of the largest immigrant communities in New York City. Language barriers, lack of information, and mistrust towards government agencies among some immigrants have resulted in many people being unaware of the funds they can claim or how to inquire about them.
She mentioned that the event was initiated by her office inviting the Comptroller’s team into the community to eliminate residents’ doubts with practical examples. “Many people’s initial reaction upon receiving the notification is ‘Is this a scam?’ So today, the Comptroller personally brought the checks to show everyone that this money is real.”
DiNapoli expressed his desire to reach out to the Asian-American community to promote the unclaimed funds program, especially during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and to strengthen ties with the Chinese community. “In just a brief visit to a few businesses today, we successfully returned over $13,000,” DiNapoli said. “We hope to inform more people that by regularly searching online with their name or company name, they may find funds that belong to them.”
Regarding tax concerns, DiNapoli stated that the tax implications would depend on the nature of the funds. “If you are just retrieving your own money, it usually doesn’t constitute additional income. However, if it involves stock appreciation and other circumstances, there may be different tax implications. Therefore, it is advised that individuals consult tax professionals.”
In addition to the unclaimed funds, businesses also raised operational challenges to officials that day. Business owners commonly mentioned inflation, tariffs, changes in immigration policies, and security issues leading to reduced foot traffic and declining business. DiNapoli mentioned that some businesses reported a 30% to 40% decrease in revenue, citing heightened panic in the immigrant community, the impact of ICE enforcement messages on residents’ willingness to go out, and federal tariff policies raising costs.
“These issues are very real,” he said. “What we hear is not only affecting New York City but also farmers in Upstate New York. Increased insurance costs and utility fees are all adding to the pressures of operation.”
Regarding security, businesses reported an increase in robberies recently, with many stores closing earlier at 7 or 8 pm. Council Member Zhuang Wenyi mentioned that her office is working to increase patrol resources and collaborate with Jewish community safety patrol organizations to extend patrols to the Chinese community while also advocating for the installation of surveillance camera systems.
“We are not just inviting government agencies; we hope to bring in successful resources from other communities,” Zhuang Wenyi said. “Many issues require community participation to truly improve.”
She emphasized that the significance of such activities lies in helping immigrant communities realize the public resources and services that rightfully belong to them.
“This money doesn’t belong to the state government; the Comptroller’s office is simply safeguarding it on behalf of the owners,” she said. “If you don’t know how to check or are unsure of its authenticity, you can come to our office, and we will help you check for free.”
Individuals can visit the New York Unclaimed Funds website to inquire about any pending funds. Website for inquiries: https://www.osc.state.ny.us/unclaimed-funds. Click on “Search Now” on the right, enter your name in Pinyin, for example, a reporter entering the Chinese surname “Chen” (Chen), the system will immediately display 1,000 unclaimed accounts.