Posted on 04/12/2018 5:07:04 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
Three former New York City cops were busted Wednesday and charged with ripping off the federal government with $1.4 million in false disability claims.
One of the ex-cops, Gerard Scparta, 53, stands accused of stealing $638,000 from the Social Security Administration over two decades with fake claims that he suffered from depression and anxiety.
In reality, he was earning big bucks — as much as $1.6 million between 2004 and last year — as a security guard and host at an unnamed strip club, the feds said.
Scparta, of Campbell Hall, NY, was allegedly helped by a co-worker, who is now cooperating, and crooked lawyer, who has also pleaded guilty.
His case stems from a New York state case that nabbed more than 100 retired NYPD officers and firefighters who raked in millions with the help of disability consultant Thomas Hale.
“We look forward to our day in court,” said Scparta’s lawyer, Joseph Mure.
Separately, the feds busted Kenneth Rubero, 53, of White Plains, NY, and Scott Maraio, 53, of Staten Island, saying they, too, defrauded the SSA.
Rubero, a former NYPD detective, earned $396,000 in disability benefits for himself and his child while at the same earning over approximately $720,000 from his work with two companies he owns, including Baychester Payment Center, a check cashing business, the feds said.
Maraio, who is former NYPD and FDNY, earned over $364,000 in disability benefits for himself, his wife, and his children starting in 2008 — while also earning $450,000 working at a strip club and staffing company, the feds said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Tip of the iceberg. Ah yes, NY's finest. Corruption is a way of life in NYC's government. They'll prosecute cops for stuff like this (and they should be prosecuted for it), but if they gun down an innocent citizen serf, then it's a "good shoot."
Tip of the ice berg?
IMO, insurance companies would have taken it on the chin or found the fraud faster/sooner.
Govt? Slow on the uptake, if ever, and holds the taxpayer ‘hostage’ for the bill.
A maximum of $114,000 a year is not much in NYC. and averaged over 20 years, that disability is a paltry $32k a year.
Together it’s not bad income, but this is not quite the major theft they make it sound like.
And I blame the government for being so stupid and even allowing this sort of nonsense. The older I get, the more people I know that have gotten in trouble with the IRS, even though they were normal people and just had some financial problems. Though they were hurting financially, the government made sure they still got their piece of the pie. It’s like owing money to the mob.
I like t see people get a piece of them every now and then. It’s a good news story in a way.
Sorry, I’ve been reading a John Grisham novel about innocent people getting the swat treatment and being killed, and it reminds me of all the injustices perpetrated by cops and government these days. I’ll calm down later. :)
Disability fraud among gov’t employees is routine.
I worked in a big city ER for years and saw that city's cops come in routinely for the most trivial things.And,invariably,they were looking for a week off from the physician/surgeon who treated them...and they usually got it.The reason they got it was we needed that same police force to help us with the violent situations that commonly occurred in our department.The cops knew that and milked it for all it was worth.
The city's firemen,OTOH,rarely visited our ER and when they did it was for legitimate reasons...injuries,smoke inhalation,etc.
I'd bet the clothes on my back that that city's Police Dept is riddled with cops who are out on fake,long term,disability claims.
The cops can do no wrong crowd will be here shortly.
Unfortunately true.
This is wide spread, My Friends. Every blue state has state workers receiving permanent disability for work injuries and illnesses to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars annually, yes, annually.
Nationwide, the toll of fake disability has to be in the billions.
some California cities have 50% of their PDs retire early on disability.
50%
For those who are interested there is more to the story regarding police officers going to the ER for “trivial matters.” There are many injuries that do not start out as visable “OMG run to the ER events.” Some injuries especially back injuries and hearing loss injuries fall into this category. The City of New York fights every disability claim as it should. Nevertheless, there are certain patterns that the city’s attacks fall into. One is the “When did this first start” question. Another is the quick call in for a physical when a police officer has been working steadily. In this one the city asks the officer if he is in any pain. They do this because they know constant pain is not a hallmark of most back injuries - you have good days and bad days. If the officer is honest and says No he hurts his own case. If he lies - well he has lied and could someday be proved a liar.
I worked with cops who were clearly in pain but could not apply for disability payment status because they would LOSE money. There was a cop in my precinct who came back to duty by insisting he was okay for fear of being 3/4ed out and died from a heart attack the next day. Hatred for cops aside there are other sides to this question.
This is an old story. Even 50 years ago we were taught in Rookie School that “Everybody loves the Firemen, but few love a cop.”
big surprise....our sainted cops and firemen, and the rest of the govt class, not so sainted afterall....
we have to face the facts that the "system" in this country rewards the sloths and the cheaters and liars and misfits.
..the real, solid workers...not so much...
After fighting for 2 1/2 years just to get my disability, having to give $6000 of my back pay to lawyers who’s main function is to encourage you not to stop complaining to the govt about your disability, and with no prospects for lucrative job prospects in the security, check cashing or adult dancing industries, its my opinion that these ASSHOLES can be slow roasted on a spit in the public square.
Sorry, but I disagree about this being a good news story, etc.
For all of the honest and hard-working people, whose hard-earned tax dollars fund this type of corruption, we deserve to have “government” make the effort needed to reduce and eliminate the opportunity for disability fraud. JMHO
We are in agreement, actually. For me, sure, these guys are a problem, but the REAL problem is that they even had the opportunity to try.
I live in an area where people can live off disability alone. A lot of people do it. Some have to fight for it, then they spend the rest of their life in a dumpy single wide living off you and me. And they are not happy either. I’d like to see the government completely abolish disability. That is what charity is for.
First of all that's clearly true.But be aware that the hospital I worked for was one of the finest,and most famous,in the world.And be aware that this hospital attracts the finest,most highly skilled,physicians and surgeons that you'll find anywhere...one is typically tripping over Nobel Prize winners while walking the halls of this hospital.
Of course cops,and firemen,sustain legitimate...often serious...injuries (and illnesses) while on the job.But the city I speak of is one of the most corrupt you'll find in the country,a city that features the filthiest,most corrupt, "public service" unions in existence.
And as for "we needed them to help us in certain situations",that very issue was touched upon in several Departmental meetings I attended.
Tip of the iceberg indeed. From what I've read the disability fraud is extraordinarily common amongst police and firefighters nationwide.
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