9/11 Scandal Roils NYPD And FDNY

More than one hundred former New York City police officers and firefighters have been indicted for falsely claiming to have been disabled in the aftermath of 9/11.

Though the former New York City police officers and firefighters were supposed to be fully disabled — some suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after the 9/11 terrorist attacks — images in court documents released Tuesday painted a starkly different picture. One man smiled behind shades and flipped the bird aboard a Sea-Doo personal watercraft. Another sat at the controls of a helicopter. A mixed martial arts instructor posed with arms crossed. They’re seen riding motorcycles, hauling in massive sailfish, slugging softballs for the “NYPD Blues,” taking jump shots, running half marathons and golfing, and even giving television news interviews while selling cannoli at Manhattan’s famed San Genaro festival. They are among the more than 100 retired New York City police and firefighters indicted in a massive Social Security disability scam involving hundreds of millions of dollars, authorities said. More than half the recipients received funds for fraudulent claims for PTSD in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the World Trade Center.

The main defendants include a police union official and a disability specialist who stand accused of coaching hundreds of applicants on how to fill out disability forms and how to behave during during doctor visits.