Former Boston Police Officer Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme

BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer was sentenced today for his involvement in a long running overtime fraud scheme at the Boston Police Department’s (BPD) evidence warehouse.

Joseph Nee, 50, of Taunton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years’ probation. Nee was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and restitution of $12,636. In June 2021, Nee pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds.  

From at least January 2015 through August 2017, Nee submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime hours that he did not work for two overtime shifts at the evidence warehouse. The first, called “purge” overtime, was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. The second shift, called “kiosk” overtime, involved driving to each police district in Boston one Saturday a month to collect old prescription drugs to be burned. 

For the “purge” shift, Nee claimed to have worked from 4 – 8 p.m., but he routinely left at 6 p.m., or earlier. For the “kiosk” shift, Nee submitted overtime slips claiming to have worked eight-and-one-half hours, when in fact he and, other members of the unit only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts. As a result, between January 2015 and August 2017, Nee personally collected approximately $12,636 for overtime hours he did not work. 

Nee was one of 15 police officers charged in connection with committing overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse, 10 of whom were convicted either by guilty plea or jury verdict. Of the remaining officers charged, four were acquitted in April 2023 and one officer passed away while charges were pending. 

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Grady and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.