Former New York congressman paralyzed after falling from horse

NEW YORK (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who resigned from Congress on tax evasion charges, was paralyzed from the chest down after being thrown from a horse during a polo tournament, friends said. Funds to pay for the former MP’s medical care.

Grimm, 54, suffered a devastating injury in September and is currently receiving treatment at the Kessler Rehabilitation Institute in New Jersey, according to Grimm’s friend Vincent Ignizio. According to Grimm’s friend Vincent Ignizio, the late actor Christopher Reeve was also treated after a similar riding accident in 1995. He is a former New York City Council member.

Ignizio said Grimm had been an avid polo player for years. “This was a passion of his, and he had a tragic accident at the end of September,” said Ignizio, who started a GoFundMe account to pay for Grimm’s medical care.

Grimm, a former Navy and FBI agent, represented Staten Island and part of Brooklyn in Congress from 2011 to 2015.

The federal investigation into Grimm’s fundraising activities, which began in 2012, ultimately resulted in a 20-count indictment focusing on a restaurant Grimm operated in Manhattan. Prosecutors said he underreported wages and income to the government and submitted false tax documents.

Grimm was re-elected in 2014 despite the indictment but pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges the following month. He resigned from Congress in January 2015 and spent eight months in prison.

Grimm Attempted comeback in 2018 but he lost the Republican primary for his old district to incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan, who then lost the general election to Democrat Max Rose.

Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis defeated Rose in 2020 and has represented the district since.

Grimm recently worked as a host at Newsmax.

A GoFundMe for Grimm’s medical care had raised $118,000 as of noon Monday. “His ultimate goal is to convince himself to walk again,” Ignizio said.