NYPD Auxiliary Inspector Accused Of Hacking Into Department System
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- An inspector in the NYPD Volunteer Auxiliary has been suspended after being charged with computer hacking, and illegally running checks on more than 6,000 license plates.
As CBS2's Tony Aiello reported, Yehuda Ari Katz, 45, hightailed it out of court Tuesday. But Aiello managed to catch up with him.
Katz ran away at top speed from U.S. District Court in downtown Brooklyn Tuesday, Aiello reported. The high-ranking auxiliary officer went on to exercise his right to remain silent after Aiello caught up and talked to him.
But court documents tell a troubling story. The NYPD and the FBI said Katz hid a camera in the traffic safety office at the 70th Precinct NYPD stationhouse in Kensington, Brooklyn.
He had been a part of the auxiliary volunteer force there for 18 years.
Investigators said Katz also installed high-tech devices so he could snoop on NYPD computers, and allegedly stole usernames and passwords – allowing him to search NYPD and FBI databases.
Katz allegedly stole information about drivers who had been in accidents and then contacted them, posing as a lawyer and asking for a fee to help them win their cases.
Katz faced some tough questions from a judge about a little surprise the police found in his basement apartment. Officers searched his home and allegedly found $20,000 cash.
The judge wanted to know why Katz had the money when he owes many thousands of dollars in unpaid child support. Katz said it is being sorted out in a separate court proceeding.
CBS2's Aiello asked Katz about that surprise too. Katz had no comment.
