Philly Police Oversight Commission Chair Hassan Bennett Charged With Witness Intimidation and Bribery

Philadelphia Oversight Chair Charged With Selling Witness Info

District Attorney Larry Krasner and the DAO’s Gun Violence Task Force announced charges on October 27, 2026, against Hassan Bennett, chair of the Philadelphia Citizens Police Oversight Commission, for allegedly selling sensitive information regarding a witness in a domestic violence case. According to phillyda.org, investigators caught co-defendant Thomas Scott on recorded prison calls attempting to intimidate a witness in an open attempted murder case, shouting that he would “blow down the witness in broad daylight.”

During those monitored calls, digital analysis and recordings revealed that Scott spoke directly with Bennett, who was employed by the Defender Association of Philadelphia alongside his role leading the oversight commission. Prosecutors state that Bennett read an arrest report aloud to Scott and provided the witness’s full name, while Scott offered a $500 payment in exchange for the paperwork.

Philadelphia District Attorney Approves Felony Counts Against Defendants

The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office approved multiple felony counts against both defendants. Thomas Scott (DOB 11/12/1980) and Hassan Bennett (DOB 3/16/1983) face charges including Intimidation of Witness/Victim (F1), Conspiracy (F1), Bribery (F3), and Criminal Use of Communication Facility (F3). Following the arrests, bail was set at $3 million for Scott and $1 million for Bennett.

“Our criminal legal system relies on victims and witnesses coming forward to provide information and, in many cases, testify in court. As a result, our office takes their safety very seriously, and any time someone tries to intimidate a witness or engages in conduct that threatens the safety of a witness, we will act with swiftness and determination,” said District Attorney Larry Krasner.

Assistant District Attorney William Fritze, chief of the DAO’s Gun Violence Task Force and director of the GVTF’s Digital Forensics Lab, called the allegations disgraceful given Bennett’s public oversight role. The investigation involved coordination between the Attorney General’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons Security and Intelligence Unit, and the FBI, with Attorney General Agent Dustin Gremo leading the case and Olivia Law serving as lead criminal investigative analyst.

Bennett Faces Arrest After Prior Murder Conviction and Acquittal

Bennett’s arrest marks a stunning new chapter in a life already deeply intertwined with Philadelphia’s criminal legal system. In 2008, Bennett was convicted of second-degree murder. More than a decade later, in 2019, he was acquitted during a retrial after a co-defendant and one of the victims testified that a then-homicide detective had coerced their original statements.

Mariel Delacruz, director of the DAO’s Victim Services Unit, emphasized that her team continues to offer specialized support, safety assessments, and resources to witnesses participating in the prosecution process as the case moves forward.