Canton Man Indicted in Alleged Logan Airport Taxi Bribery Scheme

A Canton man was among five Massport employees indicted earlier this week by the Suffolk County Grand Jury for allegedly taking bribes in exchange for preferential treatment for taxi cab drivers picking up passengers at Logan Airport, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said. 

James Mulrey, 45, and the four others were named in a 53-count indictment.

Mulrey is accused of five counts of soliciting or accepting a bribe as a public employee and two counts of soliciting or accepting an unlawful gratuity as a public employee.

He is scheduled to be arraigned May 24 at Suffolk Superior Court.

Mulrey and the other men were arrested in February following a three-month investigation in which the employees received more than $1,000 in bribe money, according to the state police.

They allegedly took $20 to $40 at a time, but may have also accepted lottery scratch tickets, cigarettes and "other goods," state police said. 

Cab drivers at Logan are supposed to line up in rows until they get their turn to enter a terminal cab stand staffed by a ground transportation unit agent, also known as a "cab starter." The indicted starters are accused of allowing the drivers to skip the line in exchange for bribes. 

“It’s hard enough to make a living without having to grease a palm or pay a bribe,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said. “The allegations in this case suggest defendants who exploited a position of power to line their pockets.”