Former New York City Department of Correction (NYC DOC) Captain, Marc Silverman, Jr., 57, has been found guilty of cheating the Social Security system out of over $200,000. Silverman, hailing from Staten Island, was convicted of two felonies for deceitfully obtaining disability benefits, according to a recent announcement by New York Attorney General's Office.
Silverman's journey with the NYC DOC spanned from 1990 to 2016, but his purportedly disabled status came into question when it was discovered that he had been working as a full-time special education bus driver for Vinny’s Bus Service since 2017. Despite his claims of being unable to work due to job-related injuries when he applied for Social Security disability benefits in 2020, he simultaneously submitted paperwork to the New York State Department of Education that affirmed his physical capability to work, an essential requirement to be licensed as a bus driver.
In 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) granted Silverman disability benefits based on his claims, with the former correction captain ultimately pocketing approximately $212,000. However, the facade crumbled when he entered a guilty plea in Richmond County Court before Judge Alexander Jeong, marking the end of his fraudulent activity. With his conviction, Silverman also consented to carrying out 300 hours of community service by the fifteenth of September, a measure set to evade a potential jail sentence.
Collaborative efforts between various agencies were vital in bringing Silverman to justice. The Office of the Inspector General Social Security Administration, particularly Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Julian Lugo and Special Agent-in-Charge Conor Washington, played crucial roles in the investigation. The case was painstakingly investigated by Detective William Fitzgerald, and Detective Joseph Buffolino, part of the Attorney General's Investigations Bureau, led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes. Assistant Attorney General Abigail Margulies handled the prosecution, supported by the Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy as well as Deputy Bureau Chief Kiran Heer.
