September Fraud Roundup
The owner of a contracting company in Happauge faces
up to four years in prison for
cheating his workers' compensation insurer. The owner
of "Colt Contracting" allegedly concealed the payroll
of eight of his employees in order to perpetrate the
fraud. The fraud was discovered on September 9th by
the New York Insurance Bureau, the New York Insurance
Fund, and the office of the Inspector General of the
Workers' Compensation Fund.
A second contractor in Long Island (Stephen Schiavoni) was arrested by local police for allegedly hiding 900,000 in contracting sales to defraud his workers' comp insurer of $44,000 in premiums in a one year period (Story from Sept 18, 2009).
A New York police officer lost his claim for compensation benefits and was indicted on one count of offering a false report for filing (a felony) when it was determined that he stabbed himself to collected WC benefits. Johnson City police officer Matthew Romano claimed to have been stabbed by "two men while investigating a suspicious car" on December 30, 2006. After investigation it was learned that the stab wounds were self-inflicted. The officer has been suspended without pay (Sept 11, 2009). He now faces charges of using the mail system to perpetrate a fraud against the employer city.
Finally, a story as old as time: Monica Martinez of Freeport is accused of working a full-time at dental offices while collecting $39,000 in total disability benefits for neck and back injuries which allegedly prevented her from working. (Story Sept 16, 2009). She is charged with violating the WCL and could face four years in prison if convicted.
A second contractor in Long Island (Stephen Schiavoni) was arrested by local police for allegedly hiding 900,000 in contracting sales to defraud his workers' comp insurer of $44,000 in premiums in a one year period (Story from Sept 18, 2009).
A New York police officer lost his claim for compensation benefits and was indicted on one count of offering a false report for filing (a felony) when it was determined that he stabbed himself to collected WC benefits. Johnson City police officer Matthew Romano claimed to have been stabbed by "two men while investigating a suspicious car" on December 30, 2006. After investigation it was learned that the stab wounds were self-inflicted. The officer has been suspended without pay (Sept 11, 2009). He now faces charges of using the mail system to perpetrate a fraud against the employer city.
Finally, a story as old as time: Monica Martinez of Freeport is accused of working a full-time at dental offices while collecting $39,000 in total disability benefits for neck and back injuries which allegedly prevented her from working. (Story Sept 16, 2009). She is charged with violating the WCL and could face four years in prison if convicted.
