Police Officers Charged With Taking Bribes From Brothel

Two New York City police officers were indicted yesterday on charges of taking bribes of sex, cash and gifts from a Manhattan brothel in exchange for giving the brothel advance notice of police raids.
Prosecutors also revealed yesterday that two other officers quietly resigned this month before pleading guilty to similar charges. The authorities said that a three-year investigation found at least 20 other officers who frequented the brothel, and more indictments are possible.
''These people betrayed their badge,''They basically went out and protected criminals so they could receive their services.''
The bribes included thousands of dollars in cash and airline tickets, and gifts of jewelry to the officers and their families, prosecutors said. The madam of the brothel also paid her prostitutes $15 to $25 each to have sex with the officers, officials said. According to the indictment, the officers were on duty in some of the cases and concealed their brothel visits by making dozens of false entries in their daily memo books.