Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Posted by: kwflatbed

BOSTON (WBZ) ― Ten toll takers on the Massachusetts Turnpike have been charged with skimming from the money they collected.

Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley announced the arrests Tuesday afternoon.

The suspects all worked on the Mass Pike at the William F. Callahan and the Ted Williams Tunnels. They are accused of mis-reporting the types of vehicles passing through their lanes and pocketing the difference. For example, if a truck passed through a toll, the employee would report collecting a toll from a car, charge the truck a full toll, and keep the difference.

Conley said the suspects would also manipulate the timing switch used to count cars passing through the tolls so that two vehicles would be counted as one. Each car would pay, and the collectors would pocket one fare.

The dollars stolen through these schemes would range from $20 to $150 per toll collector, per shift, amounting to thousands of dollars.

Conley said the 7-month long investigation began last October when the Turnpike Authority uncovered evidence of the alleged ongoing schemes. During the investigation, officials reviewed surveillance video at both the William F. Callahan and the Ted Williams Tunnels.

The accused toll takers are expected to be in court Friday.


http://wbztv.com/local/mass.pike.tolls.2.755899.html

---

Posted by: billb

Lies... all lies.

---

Posted by: JMB1977

Glad too see that our hard earned money is feeding the mouths of those bastards.

---

Posted by: rg1283

If only they weren't disarmed, then they could have had a wild west show out there! Rob the drivers!

---

Posted by: kwflatbed

Toll takers nabbed in Pike scam

10 charged after probe


Ten toll collectors were busted yesterday after a seven-month probe found they had allegedly stolen thousands of dollars from the debt-ridden Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.
The toll collectors would purposely misclassify taxis or miscount the number of cars through the tolls on two tunnels leading to Logan International Airport and pocket the difference, said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen. They took a total of $5,000 to $10,000, according to prosecutors.
“This is a clear abuse of the public trust,” Cohen said. “We need to send a message that this kind of activity won’t be tolerated at an agency that needs every dollar.”
One lawmaker said the scam has gutted the already shaky faith of toll-paying drivers in the Bay State.
“At the same time that a discussion is going on about raising tolls because the Authority can’t balance its books, we have a situation where money appears to be going out the door,” said Rep. Joseph Wagner, co-chairman of the legislative Transportation Committee. “At this point, the toll-paying public is probably outraged, and I think that’s understandable.”
The 10 current and former toll collectors face felony charges of larceny and fraudulent record-keeping. They’ll be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court Friday morning.
Officials became aware of the abuse after an internal audit highlighted the risk for theft: Toll collectors could manually misclassify a taxi or other commercial vehicle on the William F. Callahan or Ted Williams tunnels, and pocket the difference.
Workers could also manipulate the timing switch used to count cars so two vehicles would be counted as one. The toll collectors were videotaped for three months during the probe.
While the taxicab con can’t be used at other tolls across the state, abuse of the timing switch could be, admitted Mass Turnpike Authority Executive Director Alan LeBovidge.
“We’ve taken several steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again,” LeBovidge said, including replacing the head of toll operations and creating a toll revenue unit to keep abuse in check.
The men, who worked an average of nearly 18 years, may have taken up to $150 per shift over the course of the 7-month investigation. Transportation officials do not know how long the alleged scam has been running.
Joseph Fermino, 56, of Quincy was the longest serving full-time toll collector charged, with 29 years and four months under his belt. He’s charged with two counts of larceny over $250 by continuous scheme and eight counts of false entry on corporate books.
Authorities don’t believe the men were working together. “At this point, we don’t believe there was any active conspiracy where they were pooling money,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said.
All of the men, who are still employed by the transit authority, were placed on unpaid leave pending the investigation.

http://bostonherald.com/news/regiona...icleid=1103037

---

Posted by: Tuna

Morons

---

Posted by: kwflatbed

10 Toll collectors arraigned in fraud




8 of the 10 MassPike toll takers arraigned to today on larceny charges include: clockwise, starting top left: David Jones, Chi Cheung Wan, Paul Iacobacci, Tony Pasuy, Stephen Golisano, Hartley Riley, Justin Ruggiero, and Joseph Fermino.

The mother of a suspended Mass Pike toll-taker wept in court yesterday as her 35-year-old son - one of 10 suspected crooked collectors accused of cheating drivers out of thousands of dollars - was handcuffed and led away for his alleged role in the coin con.
All 10 men, ages 27 to 67, were arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on larceny and falsifying corporate books charges after they were videotaped allegedly stealing $5,400 in tolls, although prosecutors expect forensic evidence will reveal the total is higher.
The men, many of whom spent most of their lives working for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and have families to support, seemed dejected by the embarrassing charges. Their attorneys cautioned the charges are allegations.
“You got a guy who is there for 23 years, a family man. To my understanding he’s had no other disciplinary actions,” said Paul Anthony, an attorney for King Chan, 50, of Wellesley, a father of two who allegedly pocketed $400.
Stephen D’Angelo, attorney for Justin Ruggiero, 27, of Bradford, called into question Mass Pike’s accounting practices.
The workers were released on personal recognizance except Stephen Golisano, 35, who was held on $1,000 bail, handcuffed and led away as his mother sobbed into her hands. She declined comment.
Prosecutors requested $5,000 cash bail for Golisano because he allegedly tried to withdraw pension funds and planned to move to California after he received his summons. His attorney claims Golisano made plans to move a year ago.
The collectors were busted after a seven-month probe that found each collector pilfered $200 to $1,200.
Prosecutor Edward Beagan said the collectors misclassified the number of taxis passing through tolls, pocketing up to $1.75 a cab. Other times, they purposely miscounted cars coming through two Logan International Airport tunnels so two cars were counted as one.
The toll-takers, who earn about $53,000 a year, were placed on unpaid leave.
Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen said the Pike has instituted reforms since the bust.
“This kind of illegal behavior cannot be tolerated, especially by an agency that is working to become more efficient and spend every dollar wisely,” he said.
It’s unclear how the pensions of the men could be affected. The Pike’s retirement board has not frozen any of the workers’ pensions or retirement contributions, but it has asked for more information on the case.

Chump$, Change:

• + Chump$, Change</SPAN>

http://bostonherald.com/news/regiona...ome&position=1

---

Posted by: firefighter39

earnings for 2006

David Jones $52,239.11
Chi Cheung Wan 52,239.11
poor porr Paul Iacobacci, he was far behind at only 46,792.09
Stephen Golisano 52,239.11
Poor Justin Ruggieo, he only made 46,792.09

Joseph Fermino and Hartley Riley also made 52,239.11

I can understand why they stole, that is hardly enough money for an uneducated slob to get by on

---

vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser