Cop Scammers Cheated on University Degrees to Get Raises
A federal jury convicted Morteza Amiri (right) of wire fraud and conspiracy for a scheme to hire someone to complete a university degree on his behalf so he could get a pay raise. Image by Antioch Police Department, Facebook.
The felony verdict came after a four-day trial before the US Senior District Judge, Jeffrey S. White, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California.
Cheating on Classes by Hiring Stand-Ins
During the trial, evidence showed that Amiri hired someone to complete entire courses on his behalf at an online university so he could qualify for higher pay.
Here are some of the text messages Amiri sent to his would-be stand-in, according to the press release:
- “Can i hire you [ ] to do my … classes? ill pay you per class”
- “Don’t tell a soul about me hiring you for this. we can’t afford it getting leaked and me losing my job”
- “If I submit my request for the degree on time by the end of the month I can coordinate my raise in a timely manner”
- “I’m gonna rush order my degree to get my pay raise jump-started”
A Conspiracy of Cops
Amiri is the sixth officer to be convicted in the conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to cops cheating on university degrees to qualify for higher pay. Also convicted were Patrick Berhan, Amanda Theodosy (AKA Nash), Samantha Peterson, Ernesto Mejia-Orozco and Brauli Rodriguez Jalapa.
In addition to the Antioch Police Department, where Amiri worked, co-conspirators in the same case also defrauded the Pittsburg Police Department in California.
“We expect integrity and honesty from every police officer, every day, in the police departments across this country. Amiri failed to uphold these basic responsibilities, and a federal jury has convicted him of defrauding his employer, the Antioch Police Department. He, along with the other officers he conspired with, now face the consequences of violating the rule of law that they swore to uphold,” said U.S. Attorney Ismail Ramsey.
Possible 20 Years in Prison
The jury convicted Amiri of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Both of these counts hold a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
Sentencing is scheduled by the U.S. Senior District Judge Jeffrey S. White for November 12, 2024.
Amiri is scheduled for trial in another related case in February 2025.
Other Allegations
The feds have also indicted Amiri and fellow cops Eric Rombough and Devon Wenger on charges of conspiracy to use unnecessary force in 2023, according to another DOJ press release. The trio took any chance they got to use violent force, including Amiri ordering his police dog to bite 28 suspects over the course of three years, say prosecutors. Amiri took photos of the encounters to “keep them as a souvenir,” according to the indictment for that case. That trial date is set for Feb. 18, 2025.
In February 2024, his lawyer claimed that Amiri “fell from the ladder and broke his knee, along with suffering a dislocated shoulder,” which had him wheelchair-bound for some time, according to The Mercury News.
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