Former Rikers correction officer charged with faking 29 doctor visits to collect sick pay
QUEENS, NY — A former Rikers Island correction officer is accused of submitting dozens of fake medical documents to stay on sick leave for months while collecting more than $11,000 in city wages, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Equanna Escalera, 43, of Bellport, Long Island, was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on charges including grand larceny and offering false documentation. Investigators say Escalera submitted 31 letters — all on medical letterhead — claiming she was treated 29 times by a Bronx pain management clinic between March and December 2022, in order to justify her continued paid sick leave.
Officials say the visits never happened.
Escalera was on sick leave from March 24 to December 5, 2022, while assigned as a correction officer at Rikers Island. Under Department of Correction rules, officers out sick for nine or more days are prohibited from leaving home without prior approval, and must submit documentation for any medical-related outings to the Health Management Division.
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The investigation revealed that Escalera was not treated on any of the 29 dates listed and had no permission to use the clinic’s name or letterhead. During the period in question, she collected $11,200.78 in wages.
She surrendered Thursday to the Queens District Attorney’s Office and was arraigned before Judge Sharifa Nasser-Cuellar, who ordered her to return to court on December 15. If convicted, Escalera faces up to 2⅓ to 7 years in prison.
The case was brought following a joint investigation by the New York City Department of Investigation and the Queens DA’s Public Corruption Bureau.
Key Points
- Former Rikers correction officer charged with faking 29 medical visits while on sick leave
- Equanna Escalera collected over $11,000 in city wages using false documents
- She faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted of grand larceny and filing false records
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