WORCESTER – Two former Massachusetts State Troopers were convicted by a federal jury on Tuesday of conspiracy, federal programs fraud, and wire fraud linked to an overtime scheme dating back to 2015.
Lieutenant Daniel J. Griffin, 60, of Belmont, and Sergeant William W. Robertson, 61, of Westborough, were each found guilty of one count of conspiracy, one count of theft concerning a federal program, and four counts of wire fraud. Their sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2024. The two men were indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2020.
Griffin pleaded guilty to additional counts of wire fraud and filing false tax returns on Nov. 27.
According to federal prosecutors, from 2015 to 2018, Griffin, Robertson, and other troopers conspired to embezzle thousands of dollars in federally funded overtime. They regularly reported late for or left early from shifts intended to enhance traffic safety. They also made and approved false entries to conceal their actions.
Prosecutors also say that when the scandal surfaced in 2017 and 2018, Griffin, Robertson, and their co-conspirators attempted to evade detection by destroying records and forms. Griffin also allegedly misled his superiors with a memo claiming that missing forms were accidentally discarded or misplaced.
Griffin also operated his security business, Knight Protection Services, during his MSP working hours. Between 2012 and 2019, he earned almost $2 million from KnightPro but concealed over $700,000 in revenue from the IRS, using the income for personal expenses.
Before the jury’s decision, Griffin admitted to defrauding a private school attended by his children by hiding his KnightPro income and filing misleading financial aid applications. Despite his substantial income, he obtained over $175,000 in financial aid over several years.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of federal program fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000.
