Ex-State Cop Griffin Gets 5 Years for Overtime Scam

BOSTON – A former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) Lieutenant was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a massive overtime scheme that stole thousands of dollars in federally funded pay.

Daniel J. Griffin, 60, of Belmont, was handed the sentence by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman for his part in the conspiracy, which took place from 2015 through 2018. Griffin was also ordered to pay $329,163 in restitution, a fine of $176,700, and a $2,100 special assessment.

The scheme saw Griffin and other troopers in the Traffic Programs Section at State Police Headquarters in Framingham regularly arriving late to and leaving early from overtime shifts funded by grants intended to improve traffic safety. To cover their tracks, Griffin made and approved false entries on forms and other documentation, and even shredded and burned records and forms when the misconduct came to light in 2017 and 2018.

Griffin’s scheme wasn’t limited to the State Police, however. He also used his MSP pay and overtime to fund his private security business, Knight Protection Services, which raked in almost $2 million in revenue between 2012 and 2019. Griffin hid over $700,000 in revenue from the IRS and used hundreds of thousands of dollars in KnightPro income to fund personal expenses, including golf club expenses, car payments, private school tuition, and expenses related to his second home on Cape Cod.

In a separate scheme, Griffin pleaded guilty to defrauding a private school attended by two of his children from at least 2016 to 2019 by concealing his KnightPro income and filing materially misleading financial aid applications. Despite Griffin’s lucrative MSP salary and KnightPro business, he obtained over $175,000 in financial aid from the private school over the course of several years.

Griffin’s co-conspirator, MSP Sergeant William W. Robertson, was convicted of one count of conspiracy, one count of theft concerning a federal program, and four counts of wire fraud. Robertson is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2024.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation announced the sentence today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Deitch prosecuted the case.

Griffin’s sentence serves as a reminder that public corruption and fraud will not be tolerated, and those who engage in such behavior will face severe consequences. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to holding accountable those who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain.

This case is a testament to the importance of thorough and diligent investigation, as well as the hard work and dedication of the law enforcement agencies involved. It is a victory for the public and a reminder that those who commit crimes will be held accountable.