A man flaunting how swole he was by sharing photos of him pumping iron will no longer be able to collect disability benefits.
Law and Crime reports that Anthony Ragusa, who is 50, has been on disability since 2013 after claiming a work injury resulted in him being unable to walk for more than 15 minutes or bend over to put on shoes — among other things.
Ragusa claimed he was an electrician in his application, but, in reality, he owned a limousine company that operated out of New York. Of course, he maintained ownership in tandem with collecting diabilty.
He began working on his gains in 2017, with prosecutors examining the photos and videos he brazenly posted online and deduced he was an “avid weightlifter” who had no issues “lifting heavy weights” — not someone who is in so much pain that tying their shoelaces is impossible.
In all, prosecutors said Ragusa fraudulently swindled over $200,000 in disability claims.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said of the case, “Fraudulently collecting these benefits was not only a shameful slap in the face to those who actually live with disabilities, but a vast waste of taxpayer dollars. My office will not hesitate to pursue those who defraud our system and saddle our state with debt.”
Ragusa faces several charges, among them grand larceny in the first degree and offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree. He was arraigned last week.