Former New York Republican Congressman Michael Grimm, who stepped down from office after a tax fraud conviction, is paralysed from the chest down following a fall from a horse during a polo tournament, as per friends are now raising funds to cover his medical expenses.
The 54-year-old sustained this severe injury in September and is receiving treatment at New Jersey’s Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, the same facility where actor Christopher Reeve was treated after a similar horse-riding incident in 1995, according to his friend Vincent Ignizio, a former New York City Council member.
According to Ignizio, who has initiated a GoFundMe campaign for Grimm’s medical expenses, polo had been a long-standing interest for Grimm. “It was a passion of his and he suffered a tragic accident at the end of September,” Ignizio said. By Monday midday, the GoFundMe campaign for Grimm’s medical expenses had accumulated £118,000. Ignizio mentioned, “His ultimate goal is to get himself to walk again.”
Grimm, who previously served as a Marine and FBI agent, represented Staten Island and a portion of Brooklyn in Congress from 2011 to 2015.
A federal investigation into his fundraising practices, initiated in 2012, led to a 20-count indictment related to a Manhattan restaurant he operated. The prosecution alleged he submitted false tax documents and underreported wages and revenue to authorities.
Despite facing indictment, Grimm secured re-election in 2014 but admitted guilt to one count of tax fraud the following month. He stepped down from Congress in January 2015 and served an eight-month prison term.
In 2018, Grimm’s attempted political return failed when he lost a Republican primary to incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan, who subsequently lost to Democrat Max Rose in the general election.
Since 2020, Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has held the district seat after defeating Rose. Recently, Grimm has been working as a Newsmax host.
