Former Secret Service Employee Accused of Stealing 9/11 Recovery Cars
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Former Secret Service Employee Accused of Stealing 9/11 Recovery Cars
- In 2004, William Bennette, a former Secret Service operations support technician, was accused of stealing five government vehicles recovered from Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001, attacks.
- Bennette, who had received a commendation for his rescue efforts on 9/11, reportedly confessed to diverting the cars and creating false paperwork to cover his actions.
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In April 2004, William Bennette, a 52-year-old former Secret Service employee, faced charges for allegedly stealing five government vehicles from the World Trade Center site after the 9/11 attacks. Bennette, who served as the head of the Secret Service’s motor pool at 7 World Trade Center, was recognized for his valor in rescuing individuals on September 11, 2001.
Prosecutors stated that Bennette diverted salvageable government cars, classifying them as “crushed” at the Staten Island landfill to conceal the theft. He allegedly confessed to giving one car to his daughter and two to his mother. Two other vehicles were reportedly found at an auto repair shop in Queens. The stolen vehicles included a 2001 Chevrolet Impala, a 2001 Ford Taurus, a 1998 Mercury Sable, a 1994 Plymouth Acclaim, and a 1994 Ford Taurus.
Bennette was released on $75,000 bail after entering a not-guilty plea in Brooklyn federal court. His defense lawyer, Alan Liberman, attributed Bennette’s “aberrant behavior” to the trauma he experienced on 9/11. Bennette faced a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison for forging supervisors’ signatures and creating a phony bill of sale for cars stored at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
Ultimately, Bennette pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced to six months’ probation.