Photo Courtesy of Patrick Cashin/MTA
In early 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority partnered with Curb Mobility LLC to provide paratransit users the ability to request an Access-a-Ride through their mobile phones.
BY Forum Staff
An Access-a-Ride driver has been charged with submitting bogus claims for rides requested using a mobile phone app between September 2020 and March 2021, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Friday.
James Laverty, 72, of Freeport, L.I., was arraigned Thursday on a three-count complaint charging him with grand larceny in the second degree, identity theft in the first degree and falsifying business records in the first degree. Laverty was ordered to return to Court on Dec. 9.
File Photo
“The Access-a-Ride service provides much-needed transportation options for those with mobility issues. Sadly, this defendant allegedly found a way to scam the system,” DA Katz said.
In early 2019, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority partnered with Curb Mobility LLC to provide paratransit users the ability to request an Access-a-Ride through their mobile phones. Sometime after Sept. 1, 2020, a Queens woman downloaded the Curb app and created a username and password. She requested two rides and Laverty was the driver who picked her up and provided her with service. However, Laverty’s monthly reimbursement requests for payment to Curb allegedly stated he had picked up this same woman 661 times between September 2020 and February 2021.
According to the charges, the MTA reimbursed Curb for the cost of those 661 trips—just over $69,860.
Investigators with the MTA observed Laverty driving his own wheelchair-accessible TLC yellow taxi on numerous occasions within Queens and elsewhere. On these trips, in which Laverty was supposed to be driving the female passenger, there was actually no one else in the vehicle except for Laverty.
“The Access-a-Ride service provides much-needed transportation options for those with mobility issues. Sadly, this defendant allegedly found a way to scam the system,” Katz said. “This kind of malfeasance is unacceptable and the defendant will be prosecuted for his alleged crimes.”
If convicted, Laverty faces up to 15 years in prison.
