Boston Cop Tries to Launder Money Stolen From Evidence Room at Casino

The latest police officer to join the ranks of "Cops Gone Bad" is a Boston man in blue who allegedly swiped $2,000 from his department's evidence room and then fed the cash into casino slot machines.

Joseph Nee, 44, who was assigned to the evidence management unit of the Boston Police Department, was charged with larceny and money laundering, according to the Boston Globe. His alleged crime was easily traceable because the stolen money was tainted with red dye from a previous bank robbery attempt.

The bank robbery case was closed a while ago, which likely prompted Nee to believe that the money would never be missed. Perhaps it wouldn't have been, except for the fact that it showed up in the Plainridge Park Casino money counting room splashed in red ink.

Caught Red-Handed

Nee's ruse included a visit to that casino where he plugged the stained cash into slot machines and attempted to redeem it for unblemished currency at a local kiosk, according to the state’s attorney general. But his plan went awry and led to an indictment that could result in an extended visit to a jail cell.

A veteran of the Boston police force, Nee will have an opportunity to explain his actions to a judge. But he will do so while dressed in civvies because he has been suspended without pay until the case is concluded.

“The behavior alleged in today’s indictment is inexcusable," Police Commissioner William Evans stated on the BPD's website. "I hold my officers to the highest standards and expect them to obey the law that they have taken an oath to uphold. Allegations like this can damage the trust my officers have worked so hard to build with the community."