Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Suzette Trimmingham, a former NYPD traffic safety officer, and Mervin Rhymes, owner of an accident victim call center, have both pled guilty to charges related to a bribery scheme. According to Clayton, "Trimmingham and Rhymes made hundreds of thousands of dollars from their scheme," by exchanging non-public information from NYPD databases for bribes.
Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge of HSI's New York Field Office, commented on the case: "Suzette Trimmingham exploited her position of public trust and in turn profited handsomely." He emphasized the collaborative efforts with the FBI and NYPD to prioritize public wellbeing over personal gain.
Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge at the FBI's New York Field Office, stated that "The defendants prioritized personal greed over safeguarding sensitive victim data." He reaffirmed the FBI's commitment to preventing any individual from sharing confidential information for financial incentives.
Court records indicate that between January 2020 and June 2024, Trimmingham accessed police accident reports (PARs) containing personal details of accident victims beyond her official duties. This information was then provided to Rhymes. In April 2024 alone, Trimmingham reportedly sent dozens of documents with names and phone numbers to Rhymes.
Rhymes compensated Trimmingham for this information through bribes. An example cited from January 18, 2021 details an exchange where Trimmingham reminded Rhymes about payment for PARs she had sent him.
Both defendants are scheduled for sentencing on October 8, 2025. Each faces up to five years in prison as per federal program bribery conspiracy charges. The final sentences will be determined by U.S. District Judges John G. Koeltl and Ronnie Abrams.
Clayton praised the investigative work conducted by both Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation while also acknowledging assistance from the NYPD. The case is being managed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie L. Dang and Rebecca T. Dell from the Public Corruption Unit.
