Ex-NYPD union head charged with stealing thousands for 'lavish lifestyle'

A former New York City police union president was charged on Wednesday for fraudulently using union funds for personal gain, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Edward Mullins, former president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA), was charged with one count of wire fraud for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars through fraudulent expense reports. He is accused of filing reimbursements requests with the union to pay off expenses he accrued on his personal credit card, notes a DOJ statement.

By filing expense reports without receipts since 2017, Mullins managed to get reimbursements totaling more than a million dollars.

Mullins reportedly used the funds to pay for hundreds of high-end meals, clothing, jewelry, home appliances and a relative's college tuition.

He would commonly inflate the prices of work charges and pocket the difference, or lie about their legitimacy. In one instance, Mullins sought reimbursement for a meal at a high-end restaurant in Greenwich Village in Manhattan that cost more than $3,000, despite the meal not being work-related, according to the DOJ.

"As alleged, Edward Mullins, the former President of the SBA, abused his position of trust and authority to fund a lavish lifestyle that was paid for by the monthly dues of the thousands of hard-working Sergeants of the NYPD," said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.

If Mullins is found guilty, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.