Microsoft Word 18 Bell bbp 3-3-06. doc

---

 

 

The City of New York 

Department of Investigation 

ROSE GILL HEARN 

COMMISSIONER

 

 

80 MAIDEN LANE   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   

Release 18-2006

 

NEW 

YORK, 

NY 

10038 

    

 

 

 

  

 

            

www.nyc.gov/doi  

 

212-825-5900 

         

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

 

 

 

 

      

      CONTACT:  EMILY GEST 

FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2006 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ERIN BYRNE 

                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

[phone] 

  

DOI ARRESTS EMPLOYEE FROM BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT’S OFFICE FOR SUBMITTING 

BOGUS DOCTOR’S NOTES  

-- He got paid $2,400 for sick time to which he wasn’t entitled -- 

 

ROSE GILL HEARN, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced today the arrest of ROBERT 

BELL for allegedly submitting forged doctor’s notes to collect $2,400 in sick pay for 17 days off from his job as a Community Associate 

with the Office of the Bronx Borough President, Adolfo Carrion, Jr. 

 

BELL, 43, of the Bronx, will be charged with Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, 17 counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First 

Degree, and 17 counts of Forgery in the Third Degree. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.  

 

DOI began its investigation after the Bronx Borough President’s Office reported that Bell, on 17 occasions spanning from 2004 to 2005, 

submitted what appeared to be forged doctor’s notes claiming that he had been treated for back pain in Lincoln Hospital’s emergency 

room.  DOI investigators determined that BELL submitted 17 doctor’s notes signed by a non-existent physician and that BELL never 

received any treatment on the dates in question.   

 

DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said, “This defendant should have learned long ago that pretending to be sick so one can play 

hooky is child’s play.  The City will not tolerate employees who take advantage of their supervisors and taxpayers’ dollars.” 

 

Commissioner Gill Hearn commended Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. and members of his staff for reporting this alleged 

misconduct, and thanked them for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation. 

 

The investigation was conducted by DOI’s Deputy General Counsel Michael Siller.  The Office of Bronx District Attorney Robert T. 

Johnson will prosecute and Assistant District Attorney James Goward will handle the matter.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get the worms out of the Big Apple. 

To report someone ripping off the city, call DOI directly at [phone]. 

 

1