March 18, 2026 – United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that 
TODD FAUSTIN pled guilty on Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman to making false statements relating to healthcare matters in connection with use of force incidents that took place within Rikers Island.
“Todd Faustin fraudulently received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the City of New York by faking injuries after some of the most delicate and dangerous interactions within our criminal justice system—incidents where force is used against an incarcerated person,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “False workers’ compensation claims place a large cost on all New Yorkers. It’s even worse when the perpetrator is a City employee. The vast majority of our correction officers do a tough job well and honestly. Faustin is not one of them.”
According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in court:
The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (the “Board”) administers New York State’s no-fault workers’ compensation system, which guarantees medical care and cash benefits to people who are injured at work, including employees of the New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”). Payments by the Board made to DOC employees are paid from the New York City Treasury. For years, FAUSTIN was employed by the DOC as a correction officer and was assigned to work at Rikers Island. During that time, FAUSTIN falsely claimed that he was injured while on duty at Rikers Island during incidents with incarcerated individuals requiring the use of force. In total, FAUSTIN received at least $370,336.79 in benefits to which he was not entitled. FAUSTIN’s resignation with DOC is effective today, March 17, 2026.
FAUSTIN, 43, of New York, New York, pled guilty to one count of making false statements related to health care matters, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. FAUSTIN is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2026.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York State Office of Inspector General, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit and the Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaiya Arroyo and Stephanie Simon are in charge of the prosecution.
Source: DOJ Release
