do I really have to say it???
Posted on 01/07/2014 3:18:23 PM PST by No One Special
More than 100 retired New York City cops, firefighters and correction officers were charged today with falsely claiming to be suffering from depression and anxiety as a result of the 9/11 terror attacks, New York prosecutors said today.
The alleged scam won awards up to $500,000 for the uniformed personnel and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, according to the indictment.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said the suspects "cynically manufactured claims of mental illness as a result of Sept 11th... dishonoring the first responders."
Police Commissioner William Bratton said, "The retired members of the NYP indicted in this case have disgraced all first responders who perished during the search and rescue efforts on Sept. 11, 2001."
The prosecution backed up its case with recorded phone calls of the suspects being coached on how to behave in front of a medical board and photos of the suspects doing vigorous activity like jet skiing, doing mixed martial arts, and going on cruises after convincing doctors they were unable to leave their homes.
Today's arrests cap a two year investigation, aided by federal investigators, the city's Department of Investigation and the NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau.
The alleged fraud cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars in improper Social Security benefits.
The indictment charges four men with masterminding the alleged fraud, including attorney Raymond Lavellee, 81, Thomas Hale, 89, Joseph Esposito, 70, and John Minerva, 59.
Hale is president of a firm that determines eligibility for Social Security disability. Esposito is a former NYPD employee and Minerva is an ex-cop who is currently a disability consultant for the Detectives Endowment Association.
None of the accused actually suffered from debilitating stress, officials claim. Many were caught working after retirement, a violation of disability benefits.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Raise your hand, who is shocked?
We live in a sad world today where most are just happy to bilk the system. Moral integrity is gone. Most are happy to lie, cheat and steal and abuse the government and others. There seems to be no recourse and no end in sight.
And (pulls stat out of hat) 90% of them we're sold the idea by some dirtbag politician that it is their RIGHT to such un-earned wealth.
I play ice-hockey with a NY State Trooper who has been off work for 8 months because of “back pain” due to an accident after pursuit of a suspect.
I bet if you ask him he will tell you how greedy he thinks wall street is.
100 out of 60,000 yet nobody touches Washington with their insider trading and corrupt BS. Just how did Al Gore make $300 MILLION in 12 short years anyway? Not even Mick Jagger in 50 years of being in one of the most successful RnR bands of all time is worth that much.
Tell him there’s a FReeper who’s been “off work” since 2001 because he was on the 47th floor of the North Tower trying to save people.
RIP BCM
Inside every government worker,there’s a criminal screaming to be set free.
That is why I was in my mid twenties (23?) before I discovered “Damn Yankee” is Two Words......
do I really have to say it???
It’s called “stealing”. Hummm, isn’t that one of the taboo “Ten Commandments”?
I’m just shocked that its been this long before we finally saw a headline.
If that is you of whom you are speaking about, May God Bless You, and Prayers Up! Prayers up anyway!!!
And of COURSE there's no fraud in any of those situations, right?
I am not in the least way surprised. Fake disability/workers comp claims are a way of life for many NYC employees
Sad, but true. I have close relationships with several NJ/NYC cops. Regardless the question, discussion, conversation, it always ends the same. “I put my life on the line every night.” It’s a justification for entitlements and an excuse for questionable behavior. Makes me want to avoid the conversations.
He did start out with $50 million in Oil stock from mommy. He did however get lots of filthy lucre from the corruption!
The reason why people bilk the government is because the government is bilking everyone else. They are thieves and their is no honor amongst thieves.
It’s the tragedy of the commons. People don’t feel the same guilt ripping off the government, even if they wouldn’t ever think of stealing from their friends and neighbors.
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