June 29 (Reuters) - The New York Attorney General's office has sued Kelli Conlin, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice New York, accusing her of using more than $250,000 in charitable funds to finance a lavish lifestyle.

The lawsuit was filed a year after Conlin pleaded guilty to criminal charges.

Conlin spent some $50,000 at the likes of Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New York, $17,000 on a five-bedroom Hamptons rental and over $70,000 in car services, according to the lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court on Thursday.

She also used charity money to pay more than $12,000 of her nanny's salary and spent more than $50,000 on personal meals, including more than 120 meals from a sushi restaurant near her Brooklyn home, the lawsuit said.

Conlin was president of NARAL Pro-Choice New York and its charitable foundation for 19 years. She pleaded guilty in June 2011 to falsifying business records, paid restitution of $75,000 and got a conditional discharge.

The New York Attorney General's probe "uncovered substantial additional wrongdoing and seeks to hold Conlin fully accountable for her misconduct," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office said in a press release.

Robert Anello, who represented Conlin in the criminal case, said it appeared "patently unfair and an abuse of the attorney general's powers to revisit the same ground thoroughly examined by the district attorney's office." He added that he had not seen the civil suit.

Conlin, who earned $380,000 in 2010, stepped down in January 2011.

The lawsuit accuses Conlin of breach of fiduciary duties. It seeks to hold her liable for waste and misappropriation of the foundation's charitable assets.

Joan Vollero, a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr, who prosecuted the criminal case, said Vance was "pleased" the attorney general was seeking the return of additional funds using its civil powers.

NARAL said in a statement that it applauded the New York Attorney General office's decision to bring the case. It said that it had implemented reforms and financial controls after terminating Conlin.

Schneiderman recused himself from the case because his now deceased father was involved with the organization, according to the office.

The case is People of the State of New York v. Kelli Conlin, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 45107/2012.

For the NY State Office of the Attorney General: David Nachman.

For Conlin: Not immediately available.

(Karen Freifeld)

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