Two police officers with the New Orleans Police Department were indicted Friday for allegedly stealing $30,000 by working military funerals that never happened.
Under the 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, families of military veterans who died can request other active duty or retired soldiers to help with funeral duties such as folding flags or playing taps.
As the Times Picayune | The Advocate reports, prosecutors say, NOPD detective Chantelle Davis and officer Lynea Sanders are among seven other Army reservists who participated in the scam.
They say Davis and Sanders were paid for funeral duties for funerals which never happened. Between 2013 and 2016, Army Pay Technician, Christopher O’Conner, submitted the pay requests for himself, as well as Davis and Sanders and others in the scam.
This is a list of the alleged payment amounts:
- Sanders, 41 — $22,505
-O’Connor, 40 — $18,825
- Branch, 36 — $15,469
- Howard, 54 — $13,586
- Daniels, 45 — $11,694
- Francis, 31 — $11,378
- Davis, 35 — $8,399
