Former NYPD Cops From LI Plead Guilty To Bribery Scam

BROOKLYN, NY — Three former New York Police Department cops from Long Island have pleaded guilty to charges related to bribery scams they ran out of a Queens precinct, the U.S. Attorney's office said.

Robert Hassett, 36, of Farmingville, pleaded guilty in federal court in Brooklyn on Thursday to conspiring to take part in a scheme to sell the personal information of automobile accident victims in exchange for bribes as part of what prosecutors label the "Victim Database Scheme." He admitted being involved in a scheme "to steer vehicles damaged in automobile accidents to a tow truck company in contravention of the NYPD’s Direct Accident Response Program,” which is known as DARP, in exchange for bribes as part of a "Tow Truck Scheme," prosecutors said.

Robert Smith, 44, of Plainview, pleaded guilty on Oct. 6 to accepting bribes “in connection with his participation in the Tow Truck Scheme as well as attempted distribution of at least one kilogram of heroin,” prosecutors said, adding that as part of his plea, Smith also admitted he joined Hassett in the Victim Database Scheme.

After his retirement in March 2020, Smith agreed to transport “what he believed to be one kilogram of heroin for a drug trafficking organization,” prosecutors said.

Between 2016 and 2017, Hassett and Smith “received thousands of dollars of bribe payments in exchange for referring business to a towing company, contrary to DARP,” according to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, the U.S. Attorney’s office said.

Smith kickstarted the corrupt scheme without Hassett in late 2019, and when he retired, he enlisted Heather Busch, 34, of Massapequa, to take his place, according to prosecutors.

Busch pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in connection with her participation in the Tow Truck Scheme on Aug 5.

The trio were all officers assigned to the 105th Precinct in Queens Village at the time that they participated in the Tow Truck Scheme and the Victim Database Scheme.

Smith and Hassett also sold the contact information of automobile accident victims, whose accidents took place within the 105th Precinct for thousands of dollars in bribe payments, prosecutors said, adding, “ostensibly so that the purchaser could resell that personal information to physical therapy businesses and personal injury lawyers who would then contact the automobile accident victims as prospective customers.”

Hassett and Busch resigned from the NYPD since their arrests in May 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Kasulis said that the trio's guilty pleas "to accepting bribes are also acknowledgments that they abused the public trust and dishonored the NYPD by their actions."

“This office will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute corrupt police officers," she added.

Smith faces up to 25 years in prison, while Hassett and Busch each face up to five years in prison, according to Kasulis’ office.

As part of their respective pleas, Smith has agreed to forfeit $20,000, Hassett $10,000, and Busch $6,000, her office said.

The names of their attorneys were not immediately available.