Former Camden Firefighter Indicted for Allegedly Stealing Over $82,000 in Disability

A former Camden firefighter has been indicted for allegedly stealing over $82,000 by fraudulently collecting a disability pension from the New Jersey Police and Firemen’s Retirement System while working as a martial arts instructor and participating in competitive mixed martial arts, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said on Monday.

Shane B. Streater, 40, of Camden, was indicted on a charge of second-degree theft by deception.

In February of 2009, Streater applied for an accidental disability pension. He claimed he had injured his back and neck in two accidents while on duty.

The first was in December of 2007, when a car struck the fire truck he was riding.

The second was in March of 2008, when his fire truck hit a pothole.

Based largely on statements made by Streater, an independent doctor confirmed he had been permanently disabled. However, the doctor concluded the disability was the result of an existing condition, rather than anything that occurred while Streater was on duty.

After Streater was awarded an ordinary disability pension on Jan. 9, 2010, he appealed to the Office of Administrative Law. Ordinary disability pensions pay 40 percent of salary and is taxed.

He continued to insist his disability was work-related, and that he should’ve been awarded an accidental disability pension, which is untaxed and pays two-thirds of the beneficiary’s salary.

A deputy attorney general and investigator handling the appeal for the PFRS Board allegedly learned that Streater was teaching jiu jitsu two or more times a week at a mixed martial arts academy.

They also found a YouTube video of Streater participating in the highly competitive Grapplers Quest Mixed Martial Arts Tournament in June 2010. He won a bronze medal at that event.

Streater also allegedly won a black belt in jiu jitsu in 2010, while collecting the PFRS disability pension.

The PFRS Board revoked Streater’s disability pension on April 9, 2012, but he already had collected a total of $82,488 in benefits.

“We charge that Streater deviously took advantage of the safety net provided for workers, pretending to be permanently disabled even as he competed in rigorous martial arts activities,” Hoffman said. “While his colleagues in the fire department continued to risk their lives to protect the public and honestly earn their pay, it is alleged that he shamelessly stole from their pension system.”

“Working with the pension board, we will remain vigilant to uncover this type of fraud and prosecute it aggressively,” Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice said. “We will not allow con artists to divert funds needed for legitimate beneficiaries. If anyone knows of someone who is feigning a disability to collect pension benefits, we urge them to contact us confidentially.”

Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $150,000.

Hoffman and Honig noted that the Division of Criminal Justice has established a toll-free tip line 1-866-TIPS-4CJ for the public to confidentially report fraud, corruption and other illegal activities. The public also can log on to the Division’s webpage at www.njdcj.org to report suspected wrongdoing confidentially.

The attached image of Shane Streater was provided by the Attorney General