Letter: Railroad disability funds separate
Maria Rusin, left, walks with her daughter from the Federal Courthouse in Manhattan after being charged in a fraud scheme involving the Long Island Rail Road. Federal agents have arrested 10 people in connection with a $300 million scheme to defraud the Long Island Rail Road on disability claims, the FBI said Thursday morning. The arrests included LIRR workers and doctors who had been involved in the scheme to collect false disability claims, a source said. The FBI declined to disclose further details. A source said that the scheme was �on pace to reach $1 billion� if it had not been interrupted by the Thursday arrests. (October 28, 2011) Photo by Craig Ruttle Credit: Photo by Craig Ruttle
Allow me to clarify something ["LIRR pension cheats," Letters, Oct. 30]. The majority of the railroad retirement disability fund is paid into by those under railroad retirement.
While the company picks up some of the cost, the notion of retirees living on "your dime" is inaccurate. In fact, the Long Island Rail Road president, Helena Williams, even went so far as to assure riders that none of that disability money comes from their pockets.
That said, I agree that those who have abused the fund should be brought to justice, including repaying all money received fraudulently.
Bill Weigel, Glen Head
Out East with Doug Geed: Wine harvests, a fish market, baked treats and poinsettias NewsdayTV's Doug Geed visits two wineries and a fish market, and then it's time for holiday cheer, with a visit to a bakery and poinsettia greenhouses.
