Some things logically come with a side, such as eggs and bacon; soup and salad; or fish and chips. An article published by the Aurora Advocate tells about a man who received a paycheck while employed at a diner plus workers’ compensation benefits on the side. (I’ll take a hamburger with a side of fries and fraud, please.)
According to the story, an anonymous tip alerted the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) to the man’s alleged illegal collection of workers’ compensation benefits. (Maybe a co-worker was jealous because he received better tips. Who knows?) He received more than $45,000 from the Ohio BWC for a previous workplace injury.
The man was caught by a surveillance camera washing dishes and cooking at a restaurant. (Maybe the camera was hidden behind the hamburger buns.) Investigators reviewed records, interviewed witnesses and after confronting the man, he confessed.
The 51-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of workers’ compensation fraud. The BWC was able to recover $45,162 in illegal benefits paid to the man. He was sentenced to one year on probation as long as he does not commit any further crimes during that time; otherwise he could serve up to six months in prison.
It looks like this workers’ compensation offender got lucky when sentenced. (The court served up probation with a side of compassion, which is certainly better (for him) than a prison sentence any day.)
The post Hamburger with a Side of Fraud, Please appeared first on Fraud of the Day.