On Wednesday, three Massachusetts state troopers were arrested on federal embezzlement charges.

On Friday, two of the troopers, who had retired as an alleged overtime abuse scandal was getting started, started receiving their pension payments, according to the state retirement board, which handles pensions.

And they weren't the only troopers, either.

The three troopers who were arrested are Gary Herman, a 45-year-old Chester man; Paul Cesan, a 50-year-old man from Southwick; and Lt. David Wilson, a 57-year-old man who lives in Charlton.

Herman has been suspended, while Cesan and Wilson retired earlier this year. All three appeared in federal court on Wednesday after getting arrested at their homes.

On Friday, Wilson received his first monthly pension payment, and will receive a total of $8,791.02 a month, while Cesan will get $6,639.43.

Pensions are not based on overtime or detail work but on base salaries.

And how much money the state retirement board can take back, or even attempt to stop, amid the allegations is a complicated legal issue.

The retirement board has seen a number of court cases where they've tried to withhold payments before a conviction but were brushed back because individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

Put another way: The board can't take action on benefits until the person has been convicted of a crime in relation to their job.

Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday his administration has referred the names of 40 current or retired state troopers to Attorney General Maura Healey's office for potential criminal charges in the overtime abuse probe.

"If anybody is found guilty of stealing from the taxpayers and the toll payers, then in my opinion they should not receive their pension," Baker said.

A federal grand jury is also looking into the scandal.

Cesan and Wilson weren't the only retired state troopers under investigation in the overtime scandal who started receiving pension payments on Friday. The other seven troopers, whose retirement requests came in around the same time earlier this year, also started receiving the payments after the state retirement board finished processing their applications.

They are among the 28 names of troopers MassLive has learned are under investigation as part of the overtime abuse scandal.

They include:

Lt. James M. Canty, who is receiving $7,895.97 a month

Lt. David J. Keefe, who is receiving $8,605.05 a month

Trooper Daren Dejong, who is receiving $6,251.99 a month

Trooper Kevin M. Maple, who is receiving $6,627.97 a month

Trooper Stephen T. Mihalek, who is receiving $5,727.15 a month

Trooper Kevin M. O'Brien, who is receiving $6,549.15 a month

Trooper Gregory N. Raftery, who is receiving $6,017.07 a month

In order to receive benefits as defined by state statute, uniformed members of the State Police have to serve a minimum of 20 years. Their benefits come to 60 percent of the average annual rate of regular compensation in the 12 months before they retire.

The maximum benefit is 75 percent of the last 12 months' salary, available after 25 years of service within a department.

MassLive's Scott J. Croteau and Republican reporter Shira Schoenberg contributed to this report.