Cops, firefighters among 100 former NYC workers charged in disability scam
backseatLover12
Posts: 2,312
Surprised no one has posted this, but... this place has become somewhat of a ghost town. I doubt I will be staying long either. My eyes are burning!
Cops, firefighters among 100 former NYC workers charged in disability scam
Last Updated Jan 7, 2014 4:30 PM EST
NEW YORK - Scores of retired New York City police officers, firefighters and prison guards were charged Tuesday with faking psychiatric problems to get federal disability benefits - with some falsely claiming their conditions arose after the Sept. 11 attacks, prosecutors said.
Four ringleaders coached the former workers on how to falsely describe symptoms of depression and other mental health problems that allowed them to get payouts high as $500,000, said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. The ringleaders made tens of thousands in dollars in secret kickbacks, Vance said.
Among the retirees arrested were 72 city police officers, eight firefighters, five corrections officers and one Nassau County Police Department officer.
Investigators said the scam stretched back more than two decades, with the ex-officers and other workers collecting years' worth of benefits for citing mental health problems so severe that they couldn't work at all. The workers were coached on how to portray their problems, reporting that they were so psychologically damaged that they couldn't take care of themselves, prosecutors said.
Many of the officers legitimately had physical disabilities that would have entitled them to state disability pensions, but would not have entitled them to federal Social Security disability insurance, which requires a complete inability to work. Internal Affairs Chief Charles Campisi said many of the officers exaggerated their psychological trauma to gain the Social Security benefits. Most claimed post-traumatic stress disorder and many said it was because of the Sept. 11 attacks, he said. The NYPD has no information that they weren't actually working after the terrorist attack, just that they overstated the effect, he said.
One of the defendants who said he couldn't work taught martial arts. Another former police officer who claimed he couldn't leave the house worked at a cannoli stand at a street festival. Another claimed depression so crippling that it kept him house-bound but was photographed aboard a Sea-Doo watercraft.
Among those arrested was a retired police officer who has since worked helping members of the detectives' union, the Detectives' Endowment Association, with disability claims at an office in Queens. He has been suspended without pay, union President Michael Palladino said.
Many said they could not use a computer but had Facebook pages, Twitter handles and YouTube channels, prosecutors said.
"The brazenness is shocking," Vance said.
More than 100 defendants were charged with crimes including grand larceny. Arraignments in the sweeping case began late Tuesday morning, with several of the defendants pleading not guilty and being released without bail.
More at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/100-nyc-workers-charged-in-disability-scam/
Cops, firefighters among 100 former NYC workers charged in disability scam
Last Updated Jan 7, 2014 4:30 PM EST
NEW YORK - Scores of retired New York City police officers, firefighters and prison guards were charged Tuesday with faking psychiatric problems to get federal disability benefits - with some falsely claiming their conditions arose after the Sept. 11 attacks, prosecutors said.
Four ringleaders coached the former workers on how to falsely describe symptoms of depression and other mental health problems that allowed them to get payouts high as $500,000, said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. The ringleaders made tens of thousands in dollars in secret kickbacks, Vance said.
Among the retirees arrested were 72 city police officers, eight firefighters, five corrections officers and one Nassau County Police Department officer.
Investigators said the scam stretched back more than two decades, with the ex-officers and other workers collecting years' worth of benefits for citing mental health problems so severe that they couldn't work at all. The workers were coached on how to portray their problems, reporting that they were so psychologically damaged that they couldn't take care of themselves, prosecutors said.
Many of the officers legitimately had physical disabilities that would have entitled them to state disability pensions, but would not have entitled them to federal Social Security disability insurance, which requires a complete inability to work. Internal Affairs Chief Charles Campisi said many of the officers exaggerated their psychological trauma to gain the Social Security benefits. Most claimed post-traumatic stress disorder and many said it was because of the Sept. 11 attacks, he said. The NYPD has no information that they weren't actually working after the terrorist attack, just that they overstated the effect, he said.
One of the defendants who said he couldn't work taught martial arts. Another former police officer who claimed he couldn't leave the house worked at a cannoli stand at a street festival. Another claimed depression so crippling that it kept him house-bound but was photographed aboard a Sea-Doo watercraft.
Among those arrested was a retired police officer who has since worked helping members of the detectives' union, the Detectives' Endowment Association, with disability claims at an office in Queens. He has been suspended without pay, union President Michael Palladino said.
Many said they could not use a computer but had Facebook pages, Twitter handles and YouTube channels, prosecutors said.
"The brazenness is shocking," Vance said.
More than 100 defendants were charged with crimes including grand larceny. Arraignments in the sweeping case began late Tuesday morning, with several of the defendants pleading not guilty and being released without bail.
More at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/100-nyc-workers-charged-in-disability-scam/
Post edited by backseatLover12 on
0
Comments
What really bothers me is that these people were in depts that were considered HEROES in the eyes of the world after 9/11. Everyone looked up to these guys. And they use the system in the name of the biggest tragedy of this country. That's what makes me sickest.
Is this the same guy that coaches all the serial and mass murderers like James Holmes so they get the nice, cushy sentences instead of what they really deserve such as gas or electricity?
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
and, yeah, the total glorification of the firefighting occupation is a little over the top. I loved what I did and they paid me well. I was probably risking more when I was framing houses on a piecework basis.
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
"Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
I do agree with your last sentence. Big time.
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
While the danger of fire fighting is not as heightened as that of a cop or soldier's... to simply say, "Meh, it's a job" really minimizes their efforts and the job they are sometimes required to perform.
In short, does the title of firefighter automatically make one a hero? No. Can a fire fighter be heroic? Yes. Whenever someone risks their personal safety and takes risks to help others... they are heroic whether they are getting paid or not.
How much trauma have you personally experienced? Have to ever been in a war zone? Were you at the World Trade Center that morning in September?
And if you try to claim seeing pictures and videos of war... you cannot compare them. You don't smell, hear and feel it.
...
The only way anyone can convince you that PTSD really exists in some... not all people... is to have you personally witness something extremely horrifying... and see how it affects you. If it even does affect you.
Hail, Hail!!!
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Because, I could not. I've seen horrible scenes in person, such as car accidents, a stabbing victim and a dead body and it bothered me to no end. But, nothing like experiencing something like a terrorist attack or warfare. I am certain i would be deeply affected by it.
I suppose an indifference towards human life would be able to shield me... but, i'm not that strong.
Hail, Hail!!!
I'm sure there are many milking the system claiming PTSD, and not have it, and I'm thinking that's what you mean.
...are those who've helped us.
Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
And still others who are just complete selfish douchebags seeking the easiest means of getting over on others and narcissistic enough to seek glory where there is none to be had.
I appreciate those who do their jobs well for whatever reason they choose to go into the profession. Beyond that , it sucks to have my expectations and hopes about what I THINK others should be like, exposed for the delusion it is.
I also find it laughable to argue against or with an insiders view of the reality of XYZ. Height of ego in my not so humble opinion.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Ummm... I hope you understand that the "P" and "T" in 'PTSD' stands for 'Post Traumatic'. Just in case you didn't know... 'Post Traumatic' means 'After Traumatic', as in after going through a traumatic event.
What I believe to be closed minded is denying that people suffer emotional consequences after witnessing horrible events and/or their aftermath. I will never question a soldier who fought in places like Hue or Fallujah when they tell me of neverending nightmares... I wasn't there and i have nothing in my personal life to compare it to.
Hail, Hail!!!