Philly Mint Police Officer Charged with Fraud

A police officer for the U.S. Treasury at the Philadelphia Mint, Richard Rufo, was arrested at his New Jersey home on August 11^th and charged with fraudulently collecting disability benefits.

According to the Gloucester County Times, Rufo is charged with one count of fraud for allegedly taking $173,000 in federal workers’ compensation benefits. The problem was, he was still making hundreds of thousands of dollars on the side in unreported income from his memorabilia business.

As noted in the complaint, Rufo reported that he was unable to work due to a back injury he sustained in September of 2008 while closing a gate at the mint.

According to authorities and PhillyBurbs.com, Rufo was offered a light duty job at the mint after his supposed injury, but declined because it would be too strenuous.

From September 2008 through August of 2011, Rufo did receive the $173,000 in benefits.

On three occasions since 2008, Rufo allegedly completed workers’ compensation forms on which he stated he had not worked for any employer, had been self-employed or received any other income besides the benefit payments for the past 15 months.

According to the complaint, Rufo was operating United Safety Supply Co. Through this company, and out of his home, he was selling law enforcement badges, pins, patches, coins, T-shirts and hats.

Through telephone calls that were being monitored during the investigation, Rufo allegedly stated that he’d been so busy because “trucks had routinely been at his house twice a day for deliveries,” and due to his long list of federal clients.

Authorities said they saw him selling the items from a booth at the annual National Police Week event in Washington in May 2010, and setting up tables and selling at the same event a year later.

From this business, between September of 2008 and November of 2010, Rufo allegedly made more than $1.1 million in gross receipts and netted approximately $318,000 from the company.

If convicted, Rufo could face a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.