A second wave of suspects was arrested Tuesday in a far-reaching disability-pension scheme that netted cops and firefighters accused of faking emotional trauma from 9/11, officials said.
Sixteen of the 28 accused cheats were drawing pensions from the NYPD and one from the FDNY. One defendant was drawing a pension from both.
The suspects included two sons of the alleged ringleaders of the massive Social Security disability scheme.
“These defendants are accused of gaming the system by lying about their lifestyle, including their ability to work, drive, handle money, shop, and socialize, in order to obtain benefits to which they were not entitled,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.
“Their lies were repetitive and extensive.”
Several of the suspects could be seen limping and shuffling in court, where they pleaded not guilty on a variety of charges, including grand larceny, conspiracy and criminal facilitation.
Although many of the NYPD and FDNY pensioners had limited physical disabilities that legitimately entitled them to state disability compensation, their ailments did not entitle them to Social Security disability income, which requires a complete inability to work, Vance said.
The new roundup follows the January arrest of 106 people in the $400 million taxpayer fraud.
Among those nabbed in Tuesday’s pickup is retired cop Sam Esposito, the son of former cop Joseph Esposito, 70, an alleged kingpin of the disability plot who recruited and coached retirees.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Rosenberg