Mayor Michael Bloomberg's former City Finance commissioner, Martha Stark, has been fined $22,000 for using her city email account for private business.

According to the Conflict Interest Board, Stark used her city work email to send roughly 300 messages related to her paid work at a private real estate company, Tarragon Realty Investors. While she received written permission in 2005 to serve as a board member, Stark violated the policy in which she could not use city equipment, letterheads, personnel or resources in connection with Tarragon Realty.

Although she admitted to the violations, she said she "mistakenly believed" it was permissible to use her city email account for a small amount of private business.

Investigators also discovered emails where Stark identifies herself as the finance commissioner to help her registered domestic partner find an apartment, as well as to help her recently laid off step-sister find a new job.

Stark resigned in 2009 amid scrutiny by the board.