Pain of comp fraud: Trolley driver plans alleged assault

A Boston trolley driver allegedly paid a friend to attack him at work and is now facing criminal fraud charges for collecting workers compensation for his injuries, the Boston Globe reported Thursday.

Thomas Lucey, a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority driver, is accused of paying a friend $2,000 to beat him around midnight on Oct. 30, 2016, while the trolley was at a stop, according to the Globe.

His assailant wore a glowing, white Michael Myers mask, from the “Halloween” films, and was spotted on Transit Police video running from the station. Police discovered his fingerprint on a plastic pumpkin he left behind following the attack and brought him in for questioning, according to the Globe.

“He made statements to Transit Police that (Mr.) Lucey had paid him $2,000 to take part in the planned ‘attack,’ which was corroborated by bank records and phone records that showed communication between the two before and after the assault,’’ Suffolk District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said in a joint statement.

The Globe reported that Mr. Lucey obtained workers compensation payments, long-term disability payments that were based in part on a claim that he suffered post-traumatic stress from the fabricated incident.

Mr. Lucey was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury on two counts of insurance fraud, misleading a police investigation and perjury following an investigation by Transit Police and Suffolk prosecutors, the Globe reported.