Exclusive | Cuomo loses out on nearly $3M in public campaign funds over digital payment flubs

Ex-Gov.Andrew Cuomo lost out on nearly $3 million in public matching public funds in his comeback bid for New York City mayor — because his campaign couldn’t follow instructions on how to submit digital payments, new emails show.Cuomo staffers appeared to have brushed off the City Campaign Finance Board’s repeated recommendations not to use Apple or Google Pay to solicit donations without prior approval — and to stay on top of online contributions — according to communications reviewed by The Post.The campaign was emphatically told on March 3 — two days after Cuomo announced he was running for mayor — that donations “cannot be accepted” by the tap phone payments and that “Electronic Funds Transfers” needed backup affirmation letters confirming each donors’ information, the emails show.Campaign attorneys conceded they “weren’t set up” to accept mobile and electronic payments, but said they would charge ahead with taking them anyway.Political candidates usually register their campaigns with the CFB in hopes of becoming eligible for the city’s public funds program, in which every $1 of contributions less than $2,100 made by New Yorkers is matched with $8 in taxpayer cash.In order to be eligible for these matching funds, candidates must go through a lengthy process ensuring donors’ addresses and payment methods are verified.The board warned the Cuomo team multiple times over the months-long correspondence that to get mobile payments approved, the campaign would have to provide a signed affirmation letter for every such donation.The CFB stressed that while the campaign could still collect those contributions, they would “not be considered eligible for match with public funds per Board Rules.”The Cuomo camp attempted the major feat of collecting affirmation letters for over 50 donors, but it eventually became clear that the campaign wouldn’t be getting all of the required documentation — landing it in hot water with the CFB.On Ap...