Former Massachusetts Officer Charged With Dishonest Landlords

BOSTON (AP) — A former Massachusetts police officer, who earned as a lot as $187,000 per yr, lied on rental purposes to acquire leases on three residences after which deliberately withheld lease funds, federal prosecutors mentioned Friday.

Robert Kennedy, 53, a former detective sergeant for the Stoneham Police Division, faces a cost of wire fraud, based on a press release from the U.S. lawyer’s workplace in Boston.

Kennedy resigned from the division on Feb. 23 following discover of an inner investigation right into a historical past of civil claims towards him, City Administrator Dennis Sheehan and police Chief James McIntyre mentioned in a joint assertion. He had labored for the division since 2001.

An electronic mail message searching for remark was left with Kennedy’s lawyer.

Kennedy “is a serial debt fraudster who has a path of dangerous money owed, collections, and unpaid judgments,” based on an FBI affidavit within the case.

He has been the topic of no less than six small claims actions, the FBI mentioned.

Kennedy defrauded his final three landlords by offering “false and deceptive data” on his rental purposes and didn’t pay lease to make the most of the sluggish eviction course of, based on court docket paperwork.

To get his most up-to-date house and skirt a credit score examine and eviction historical past examine, Kennedy allegedly supplied the date of beginning and Social Safety variety of a relative who shared his first and final title, prosecutors mentioned.

The lease was authorized, however he gave the owner dangerous checks for his lease and safety deposit and didn’t make subsequent lease funds, permitting him to stay within the house rent-free for roughly 4 months, prosecutors mentioned. He owes that landlord about $14,000, authorities mentioned.

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