Woman Accused of Writing Fake Tickets
NYC traffic agent accused of writing fake tickets from miles away
NEW YORK, May. 24, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(AP) A city traffic agent has been charged with writing dozens of fraudulent parking tickets _ sometimes while sitting in her car miles away from the bogus violations she cited, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Nivea Cloud was accused of writing 27 tickets in three hours in seven locations on May 12, inventing infractions just one to four minutes apart in the same place, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
She was seen sitting in her police car, parked in a handicapped spot, more than a mile away from where the vehicles cited on her tickets supposedly were illegally parked, Brown said.
"As a municipal worker entrusted with such enormous financial powers over motorists and a duty and responsibility to uphold the law, the defendant's alleged conduct is outrageous," Brown said in a news release announcing the charges.
Cloud, 30, was arraigned Tuesday on charges including official misconduct and falsifying business records. She could face up to four years in prison if convicted.
A telephone message left for Cloud's lawyer was not immediately returned Tuesday.