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Former "top cop" charged as injury-faking fraud
By adamg on Wed, 03/24/2010 - 1:46pm
Detective Eliezer Gonzalez, 48, was indicted yesterday on 34 counts of mail fraud for allegedly falsifying the extent of injuries from a September, 2007 on-the-job accident.
In an indictment announced by the FBI and Boston Police, prosecutors charge Gonzalez "greatly exaggerated and falsified both his injuries and ongoing physical issues and that he fraudulently collected both injured leave pay from the City of Boston as well as supplemental insurance benefits."
In 2005, Gonzalez won the Massachusetts Top Cop award from the National Association of Police Organizations for rescuing a kidnapped infant.
Officials say they have videotape of Gonzalez "walking normally" before and after required medical exams at Boston Police headquarters - at which he showd up "walking slowly with the assistance of a cane and accompanied by associates who assisted him during those appointments." And, the indictment charges, several days after a 2008 exam, Gonzalez "traveled to Vietnam, toured Ho Chi Minh City, socialized with friends, and participated in various strenuous tourist activities in an unimpaired fashion and without the aid of a cane, and included videotaping himself riding on the back of a moped weaving through a crowded street."
Gonzalez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the 34 counts.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
Strenuous Tourist Activities
Sounds like a euphamism.
the thin blue line just grew a little fatter
kudos to Commissioner Davis for drawing a hard line between between duty, fraud and disability abuse.
If Gonzalez is convicted and serves hard time, others will be less tempted to scam the system.
Have any of the guys who defrauded the Boston Fire Departments Disability benefit system been charged,found guilty and done hard time or is that scan still running full force with the hack doctor and all?
A recent BFD sentencing
Just this month, in fact:
Boston Fire Department employee sentenced for perjury and obstruction of justice.
looks like a Scotter Libby sentence
NO JAIL for purjury and obstruction of justice:
Gonzalez faces
up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each of the 34 counts.
This doesn't really have to do with the blue line.
These are usually federal investigations that are started by tips from other police officers, and sometimes internal investigations. No cop protects scumbags like this guy, and most cops are happy guys like this get caught.
Also, its well known that federal investigations into these types of abuses leads to serious time. This is not new.
The "hack" doctors are only a small part of the problem. Usually several types of doctors have to be seen before any type of disability is given out.
It is out of control though.
I am sure if they dig deeper
I am sure if they dig deeper they will find that this is only the tip of the iceberg of his criminal behavior hiding behind a badge