Ed Mullins (the former chief of New York Police Department’s Sergeants Benevolent Association, SBA) has been charged with fraud. The money was used to buy expensive food, luxurious items and college tuition.
Mullins, 60 years old, was a controversial figure who had a history of defending police officers’ bad behavior and lamenting the legalization of pot. He resigned after the FBI raid on Mullins’ home and at the SBA offices. Mullins had been president for the union 20 years. According to sources, he was the president of the union for 20 years. New York PostMullins is being investigated as possible misappropriation of union funds.
The Department of Justice confirmed that Wednesday. U.S. attorney Damian Williams filed a complaint against Mullins with the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. He claimed that Mullins had submitted false expense reports to the SBA for the last five years, and sought reimbursement for these bills as legitimate SBA expenses when they weren’t. From that, he managed to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars that his union members—including 13,000 fellow officers, both active and retired—had paid in dues.
The complaint alleges that the fraud began when the vice-president retired in 2017. According to the complaint, Mullins was victim of fraud when his vice president retired in 2017. The treasurer assumed responsibility for appraising Mullins expense reports but reportedly did not bother to examine them and even ask Mullins for receipts. Mullins would increase the amount charged after submitting his expense reports. In the complaint, he stated that he had changed a $45.92 wine bar charge to an $845.92 one. This complaint asserts that Mullins, in 2018, added the treasurer (who was not listed in the complaint), to his slate in his bid for reelection.
Mullins is facing one federal charge of wire fraud. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years, though he won’t be convicted.
Mullins has the right to due process. He also enjoys the presumption and assumption of innocence up until his conviction. This was ironic because Mullins was an outspoken opponent. Mullins once attacked New York City’s Civilian Complaint Review Board calling them a “disgrace.” One tweet that just acknowledged that the Fourth Amendment provided protection for Americans against unreasonable searches or seizures was enough to offend him. It also encouraged New Yorkers not to ignore this right and encouraged them file a lawsuit if it was. Mullins complained on Twitter in 2018 that he might get into trouble if he tried to arrest a guy smoking marijuana at a subway entrance, so he didn’t—and he shouldn’t have arrested the guy However because New York City had long since decriminalized marijuana possession.
Based on The New York TimesMullins turned himself in to police on Wednesday morning. He was then released with a bond of $250,000. For a non-violent crime, that seems outrageous. He might be able to benefit from reforms in federal bail. Oh, right. He also hates bail reform.