Former Boston Police Officer Sentenced for Overtime Fraud Scheme

BOSTON – A former Boston Police officer was sentenced yesterday in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department’s evidence warehouse.

Thomas Nee, 67, of Yarmouth, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to two years of supervised release. Nee was also ordered to pay a fine of $2,000, as well as $16,151 in restitution. In November 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 February 2015 through February 2018, Nee submitted false and fraudulent overtime slips for overtime shifts that he did not work at the evidence warehouse. The “purge” overtime was a 4 – 8 p.m. weekday shift intended to dispose of old, unneeded evidence. “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  only worked three-to-four hours of those shifts. 

Between February 2015 and February 2018, Nee personally collected approximately $16,151 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 have been 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. Nee is the fourth defendant to be sentenced in the case.

From 2015 through 2019, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.  

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. Attorney Mark Grady of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.