An NYPD doctor rushed a cop back to full duties after he suffered a heart attack and a stroke, forcing him to leave his job, according to a bombshell new lawsuit.
The department's Dr. John Santucci allegedly told former officer Girard Moscato, 57, that he did 'not care' about his cardiologist's recommendation to work part-time after suffering two serious health failings the year before.
Moscato said COVID complications caused him to suffer a heart attack and a stroke in February 2021, and he was still feeling the effects the following year.
The officer, who served the NYPD from June 2003, said he felt forced to leave in 2022.
The longtime cop filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court seen by the New York Post. Santucci has not responded to the latest allegations - the third against him by an NYPD cop.
Dr. John Santucci allegedly told former officer Girard Moscato, 57, that he did 'not care' about his cardiologist's recommendation to work part-time after suffering two serious health failings the year before.
Moscato, who served the NYPD from June 2003, said he felt forced to leave in 2022. The longtime cop filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court seen by the New York Post
The suit outlines how Moscato had a heart monitor installed in May 2021, which forced him to take a step back from work for two months, before returning to restricted duties.
But in January 2022, Santucci forced him back to work, saying, at the time, he 'does not care' about Moscato's cardiologist's recommendation to stay on limited duty, the case claims.
Moscato told the Post he pleaded with the doctor, who he believes placed him back on full duty because NYPD is struggling to retain officers.
Speaking about Santucci, he said: 'I only saw this guy one time.
'He basically went against what my cardiologist wrote in a letter that I should never have gone back to full duty.
'In my opinion because of the droves of cops leaving the job, they are so short personnel they are looking to put anyone they can to put back to full duty.'
Moscato's lawsuit alleges he was struggling so much that he retired early in August 2022.
His lawyer John Scola accused the NYPD of failing disabled officers.
'The NYPD does not follow the law when they fail to accommodate disabled officers,' Scola said.
'These failures not only harm hard-working civil servants who become disabled like Officer Moscato but will ultimately cost New York taxpayers millions of dollars as they are responsible for footing the bill for the NYPD's continued abuse.'
Santucci faces several more lawsuits by other beleaguered NYPD officers.
This includes a $5 million potential lawsuit filed by officer Edward Donzelli, 30, who claimed Santucci demeaned him for taking sick leave.
NYPD officer Edward Donzelli, 30, claimed Santucci demeaned him for taking sick leave
Donzelli first saw the doctor in November 2021 after suffering ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and an injury to his right hip sustained on the job which required surgery.
The cop said he requested sick leave, but Santucci allegedly 'forced him back to work immediately' and accused him of 'faking' his illnesses, his case says.
Meanwhile former NYPD cop Destiny McCann, 39, who suffered a stroke and two bouts of breast cancer, said she resigned after facing bullying from Santucci.
The former cop and Queens-born mom said Santucci began overseeing her disability case in 2020.
'He really bullied me off,' McCann told The Post. 'I worked all of these years and for him to push me off … I get basically pennies.'
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