MIAMI – A former Miami police officer on Friday was indicated on charges she stole $200,000 from a police charity she oversaw to finance her gambling at area casinos.
Vernell Reynolds, 46, allegedly stole the funds from the accounts of the Miami Community Police Benevolent Association at United Police FCU.
According to the indictment, Reynolds, who became president of the police charity in 2005, made unauthorized withdrawals from the MCPBA credit union accounts, made unauthorized personal purchases with MCPBA funds and transferred MCPBA funds from the MCPBA accounts to her personal credit union accounts.
The indictment alleges that some of these unauthorized withdrawals occurred at casinos located in South Florida and on at least one occasion in California.
The indictment alleges that as early as September 2008, Reynolds began stealing money from the MCPBA accounts and using it for her own purposes. Reynolds’ scheme allegedly continued through June 2010.
The benevolent association is a private charity set up to benefit Miami law enforcement officers that operates in Miami-Dade County. The funds contained in the MCPBA’s two credit union accounts consisted primarily of the monthly dues of the MCPBA members. The funds in the accounts were held in trust for the benefit of the MCPBA.
