Disgraced New York attorney Gustavo Vila reportedly stole nearly $ 1 million from a cancer-stricken police officer who received the money from the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund

A New York State attorney has reportedly stolen nearly $ 1 million from a cancer-stricken police officer who received the money from the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund.

The unnamed officer contracted cancer while working with the NYPD on the Ground Zero rescue and recovery operation following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

In 2013, the sick officer hired Westchester attorney Gustavo Vila, 62, to represent him, and the couple filed a claim with the Compensation Fund.

Vila has signed documents authorizing the fund to transfer payments to its own bank account.

In 2015, Vila was suspended for an unrelated crime in 2015 but continued to represent the officer.

The following year, the fund awarded $ 1,030,622 to the agent to cover treatment for his “serious, life-threatening medical condition” and transferred the money to Vila ‘s account.

Vila reportedly forwarded only $ 103,000 to the officer, saying the rest of the money had not yet been forwarded.

The unnamed officer contracted cancer while working with the NYPD on the Ground Zero rescue and recovery operation following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

According to The New York Daily News, the disgraced lawyer used some of the agent’s money to pay his own taxes.

The publication reports that part of the compensation amount was then transferred to an account of Vila’s then wife.

In February of this year – nearly four years after the police officer was said to have received the money – he confronted Vila who had reportedly admitted to stealing the money.

Vila was arrested last month and is now charged with theft of government funds.

He was released on $ 100,000 bail and is expected to return to court at a later date.

If convicted, Vila will spend up to 10 years behind bars.

Kenneth Dieffenbach, a special agent-in-charge with the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General, released a statement on the case Thursday, which read: “ Vila reportedly tried to capitalize on the suffering of a retired NYPD officer who live at Ground Zero.

Due to Vila’s alleged greed, the victim never received about $ 1 million awarded to him from the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund.