PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Nine current and former Philadelphia police officers have been charged with theft and conspiracy in connection with a youth boxing program that allegedly paid them city grant funds in addition to their police salaries.
Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said the five current Philadelphia officers charged with theft, conspiracy and receiving stolen property were suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss them.
The charges stem from the officers' alleged involvement with the youth boxing initiative Guns Down, Gloves Up. Authorities say the officers were boxing instructors with the program, which received a city anti-violence grant, and were paid by the program in addition to their city pay.
City employees are prohibited from collecting any city grant money. In some cases, investigators say the officers accepted the boxing money while on the clock with the police department.
The five officers set to be fired are Brittanie Crockett, Daniel Moll, Janae McDonald, Mark DiGenio and Michael Minor. All except Minor were with the 22nd Police District in North Philadelphia. Minor was a Highway Patrol officer with 18 years of experience. Crockett had a decade on the force, and Moll, McDonald and DiGenio had more than two decades.
The four other officers charged — Robyn Gee, George Gee, LaCarmela Fortune and 22nd District Police Captain Nashid Akil — all retired in the last two years.
In a statement, Bethel said he was "deeply troubled" by the entire situation and leveled extra criticism at Akil for his commanding officer status.
The charges have been formally filed with the District Attorney's office.
Editor’s update on Sept. 3, 2026:
In the last few months, in a deal with prosecutors, several of the former police officers have entered an ARD (accelerated rehabilitative disposition) program for two counts of theft, as well as conspiracy and receiving stolen property. They were ordered to pay back the money they were paid.
Those officers are DiGenio, Moll, McDonald, George Gee and Fortune.
DiGenio and Moll were also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. McDonald was ordered to pay a $7,200 fine, and Gee a $3,000 fine. Fortune was ordered to pay a $6,500 fine.
