At least a half-dozen Miami Police officers have been targeted by the FBI for their alleged roles in providing protection for a Liberty City sports gambling operation that was uncovered more than a year ago, according to authorities familiar with the case.
At least one Miami officer has been relieved of duty in connection with the investigation into the bookmaking business, which has been shut down, authorities said.
The initial probe by the FBI, which has been assisted by the police department, evolved into a broader investigation involving some of the officers. Arrests of at least six Miami officers — and possibly more — are expected as early as January, according to authorities.
The Miami Police Department did not return calls for comment. Both the police department and city attorney’s office refused to provide The Miami Herald with requested information on the number of police officers recently relieved of duty.
Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado said he did not know details of the investigation. But he tried to cast it in a positive light.
“To me, this investigation is not a black eye to the city or the police department. It’s a good thing. It means we’re moving forward with a better police force,” Regalado told The Miami Herald.
“In a police force as big as this one, some officers will do the wrong thing. But it is good to invite investigation. It shows that the police force wants to move forward and get rid of the bad apples.”
The Liberty City gambling house investigation began more than a year ago when Miami police, under then-Chief Miguel Exposito, told the FBI what it had learned. Surveillance, in an unincorporated area of Liberty City, led to the spotting of a Miami officer who allegedly showed up regularly to protect the illicit business.
The Miami Police Department, with roughly 1,100 sworn officers, has seen numerous officers suspended and ultimately fired in recent years because of their involvement in criminal activity, from ripping off drugs and money from dealers to fencing contraband such as stolen Bluetooth headsets.
The police department’s morale has been low of late, but not necessarily because of the criminal investigations. The police union has been battling the city over pay raises, health benefits and pension obligations for three straight years, though it did reach a recent agreement on salary hikes for next year.
Unrelated to the Miami police probe, the FBI is also investigating a handful of officers in other law-enforcement departments around Miami-Dade County in connection with identity-theft and tax-refund scams.
The officers are suspected of swiping personal identity information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth, to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service — a crime that has penetrated all aspects of society, including hospitals.
South Florida is considered one of the nation’s hardest-hit regions for ID theft and tax fraud, according to the Department of Treasury.
FBI investigating Miami cops in bookmaking case
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FBI investigating Miami cops in bookmaking case
