Two former Broward Sheriff's Office deputies with ties to convicted Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein pleaded not guilty to federal conspiracy charges Monday.
Lt. David Benjamin and Det. David Poole entered the pleas during a hearing in Fort Lauderdale. Both were granted bond of $250,000 each, which they were expected to post.
Benjamin, 48, and Poole, 47, were both fired by Broward Sheriff Scott Israel on Friday, after the charges were announced. Both are accused of abusing their law enforcement powers to help Rothstein. While Rothstein is in jail for 50 years, the investigation into all the Ponzi scheme was tied to has continued to net arrests.
“I’m not at liberty to talk about any part of the investigation,” Israel said Friday.
The federal indictments alleged that Rothstein paid Benjamin $185,000. Poole and Benjamin arrested the wife of Rothstein’s friend on false charges to help the friend’s child custody claim and Benjamin helped Rothstein make his infamous getaway to Morocco, the indictments claim.
