Thomas Rachko, 46, of the Bronx swiped the money in November from a drug courier who was being monitored by an NYPD surveillance team in Astoria, Queens.

Rachko's arrest touched off the worst drug scandal to rock the NYPD in a decade.

In June, he pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge in Brooklyn Federal Court and fingered other allegedly dirty cops as part of the conspiracy.

"His crime betrayed the law enforcement community and the New Yorkers whom he had sworn to protect and serve," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said yesterday.

Rachko, a 20-year veteran cop, will be sentenced on grand larceny charges early next year. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He also could be put behind bars for up to 27 years on similar federal charges.

A second defendant, former Detective Julio Vasquez, 44, of Brooklyn, pleaded guilty in April. He is expected to be sentenced to one to three years in prison.