Columbus, OH – Michael Mallory, formerly of New Bremen (Auglaize County), recently pleaded guilty in Franklin Common Pleas Court to workers’ compensation fraud after relocating and posting on Facebook photos of his work for an Arizona employer. Mallory was ordered to pay BWC $7,644.08 in restitution and investigative costs to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC).
“Injured workers are often not permitted to work while receiving workers’ comp benefits,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. “This particular case is a clear example of someone who knowingly broke those rules, flaunted his crime, and generated convincing evidence for our investigators to prove his wrongdoing.”
Mallory resided in New Bremen but relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona after he was injured and began collecting benefits. BWC opened an investigation after receiving a tip that Mallory was doing construction work in Arizona while collecting Ohio workers’ compensation benefits.
After checking with Arizona state officials, investigators found that Mallory was working for Safety Compliance Services. BWC investigators also found photos of Mallory wearing repelling gear and doing repelling work on his Facebook page. The company also confirmed that Mallory was employed with them as a rescue technician.
Mallory paid $6,000 at sentencing and was given a six month suspended jail sentence, provided the balance of the restitution and investigative costs are paid by Oct. 13.
Source: Ohio BWC