BOSTON (WHDH) - An MBTA trolley operator accused of paying someone to attack him in order to get workers’ compensation appeared in court Tuesday and prosecutors outlined how the scheme was planned.
Thomas Lucey, 46, of Saugus, pleaded no guilty to fraud charges. Authorities allege Lucey paid a man $2,000 in 2016 to assault him so he could collect disability benefits.
The incident happened shortly before Halloween at the Cedar Grove Trolley stop in Mattapan. Investigators say a masked man boarded Lucey’s trolley and beat him up.
“He got into a verbal dispute about fare money with the defendant and then hit the defendant in the head,” said prosecutor Colin Campbell.
MBTA surveillance video captured a man wearing a Michael Myers “Halloween” mask running away following the attack on Lucey. Months later the masked man admitted the attack was a hoax when police tracked him down.
Police say Lucey collected more than $60,000 in fraudulent benefits from both the MBTA and insurance companies, claiming he suffered from PTSD after the attack he’s accused of staging.
“The defendant complained that flashbacks from the attack caused him to depressed, have panic attacks and anxiety, and caused him to have trouble sleeping with frequent nightmares,” Campbell said.
Lucey has not worked since the incident. He was released on personal recognizance and is slated to stand trial in September.
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