Brilliant Idea: Get Disability Pension, Become MMA Fighter

This former firefighter has the right idea. After retiring with a $75,000 a year disability pension seven years ago for "lung problems" and PTSD, Joseph Giuffrida seems to be breathing just fine as a mixed-martial-arts fighter. He's also allegedly taken up SCUBA diving and hiking. One source told the Post, "All of a sudden he was cured." Tax-free pension will do that to a person. The FDNY Medical Board has been approving pension requests even without proof of disabilities ever since a board member was shot by a disgruntled firefighter who had been denied coverage.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jaya Saxena in News on July 26, 2010 3:56 PM

Comments [rss]

Lindsay

It's certainly worth looking into. Why did he get total disability instead of a desk job, for example? On the other hand, his disability is asthma exacerbated by airborne toxins. A lot of elite athletes have asthma. When they're not having an attack, they're fine. If they're having trouble breathing, they can use their puffers or sit out a competition and it's no big deal.

If I'm counting on a firefighter to rescue me from a burning building, I don't want a someone who's going to start wheezing and gasping under his full turnout gear--even if he's a super-athlete 99.9% of the time.

bashmentgirl

This guy is a con man and a scumbag. However, you can't blame all civil servants.

Rocknrope

Goddammit, 75K a year tax free, which is like pulling down a 125K/year salary for all us regular working stiffs. And he's been pulling this in for 7 yearas, since he was 35. In the article there was a guy making 86K/year tax free who was running marathons and triathlons.

What is this bs I keep reading about civil servants not making any money?