A crooked NYPD detective pled guilty last week to stealing nearly $6000 from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office where he had headed a wiretap and surveillance squad.
Michael Bazerman, an 18-year veteran, copped to misdemeanor official misconduct, forfeited his $70k a year pension and medical benefits – worth an estimated $3 million – and must pay full restitution.
“The defendant was an NYPD Detective, he certainly should have known better than to commit the crimes that he committed and by his actions clearly violated public trust,” said Bronx Assistant District Attorney Peter Kennedy, who handled the case after the Manhattan DA’s Office recused itself.
The Staten Island father of two faced up to 7 years in prison on over 300 counts of grand larceny, forgery and other charges for submitting bogus expense reports to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office from 2009 to 2011.
Bazerman, 40, admitted to scamming $5811.93 through fraudulent invoices at his August 19th court appearance before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Laura Ward.
Prosecutors said he pulled off the scheme by using phony receipts from a New Jersey television and appliance store, Gabowitz, where he worked as a part time salesman.
“Most of the items purportedly purchased by the defendant for the District Attorney’s Office from Gabowitz were items they didn’t even sell,” said Kennedy. He also forged the signature of supervisors on several reimbursement request forms.
But Bazerman told the Post he didn’t steal one cent and only took the deal to avoid prison.
“They are legitimate and I had proof for just about all of it,” he said of the expenses. “It was for equipment. I bought antennas for DA Vance’s truck, my captain’s truck, I bought headphones, I had cables, an equalizer.”
The disgraced cop is heartbroken about losing his job.
“I loved being a cop, my brother is a retired cop, my parents worked for the police department. But they forced me to resign.”
A judge will have to review the plea deal before sentencing because of Bazerman’s proclamation of innocence said Bronx District Attorney spokesman Steven Reed.
The Manhattan District Attorney and NYPD declined to comment.