QUEENS — A CITY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION officer assigned to Rikers Island pleaded guilty on March 17 to making false statements in connection with workers’ compensation benefits he collected over a period of years, the New York City Department of Investigation announced in a joint statement with the state inspector general.
Todd Faustin, 43, of Coram, N.Y., admitted in U.S. District Court to fabricating on-duty injuries, including fictitious use-of-force encounters with incarcerated individuals, to obtain at least $370,336.79 in benefits from the Workers’ Compensation Board — payments drawn from the city treasury. He agreed to pay that sum in both restitution and forfeiture.
Acting DOI Commissioner Christopher Ryan said the system “Exists to support employees who are legitimately injured on the job — not to be exploited for personal gain.”
Faustin, who resigned effective March 17, faces sentencing before Judge Lewis J. Liman on July 7. His annual salary at the time of resignation was approximately $109,350.
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