Former Massachusetts State Police lieutenant Daniel Griffin, 60, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison and ordered to pay nearly $508,000 in fines and restitution for his involvement in the agency’s overtime fraud scandal. Griffin was convicted of conspiracy, theft concerning a federal program, fraud, wire fraud, and filing false tax returns. He was found to have operated his private security business while claiming hours with MSP and lied about his income to defraud the private school his children attended.
Griffin was part of the MSP’s Traffic Programs Section at headquarters in Framingham, where prosecutors say a culture of fraud existed. He, along with ex-MSP Sgt. William Robertson and other troopers, fraudulently claimed hours they didn’t work, with Griffin and Robertson covering it up on the paperwork side. The scheme, dating back to 2015, involved arriving late and leaving early from overtime shifts, with the whole crew reporting false hours worked.
The indictment also states that Griffin and Robertson shredded key records and forms to cover up their actions, which defrauded the state of significant amounts of money. Robertson, who was convicted of conspiracy and theft, is set to be sentenced on April 30.
Griffin’s sentence includes five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and payment of fines and restitution. This case sheds light on the need for accountability and transparency within law enforcement agencies to prevent fraud.
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