Two former Massachusetts State Police troopers, Sgt. William Robertson and Lt. Daniel Griffin, were found guilty by a Worcester federal jury for conspiracy and fraud related to an overtime pay scheme. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the convictions, detailing how the troopers, along with others at state police headquarters, conspired to steal thousands of dollars in overtime pay by arriving late and leaving early from shifts. Griffin, over the course of a few years, made just under $675,000 in salary, overtime, and benefits. The overtime shifts were funded by federal grants designated for traffic safety improvement.
The scheme unraveled when the troopers began destroying records to conceal their misconduct, which came to light several years ago. Griffin, in addition to the overtime fraud, also hid over $700,000 of income from his security business, Knight Protection Services, from the IRS, and defrauded a private school his children attended by understating his income. Sentencing for Griffin and Robertson has been scheduled for March 2024, with the possibility of facing decades in prison and hefty fines.
The Massachusetts State Police issued a statement expressing shock at the behavior of the former troopers and emphasized their commitment to upholding the highest standards of conduct. The department has implemented reforms to prevent future fraud and maintained that the actions of Griffin and Robertson were not widespread within the force.
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