Columbus, OH – A New Philadelphia man pleaded guilty to theft and was sentenced in connection with working while receiving workers’ comp benefits. A judge in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas ordered Cecil Ball to repay nearly $10,000.
“Mr. Ball was attempting to take advantage of a benefit that is reserved for injured workers who cannot work,” said Steve Buehrer, administrator/CEO for the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). “Our investigators use a number of tools to track down fraud and in this case, a wage cross-match with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services helped us put an end to this ruse.”
BWC’s Cambridge Special Investigations Unit (SIU) started investigating Ball after receiving information from the SIU Intelligence Unit that the wage cross-match revealed that Ball earned wages in 2010 and 2011 while receiving temporary total benefits. Investigators found that Ball worked as a truck driver for a transportation company.
Ball acknowledged that he drove a truck and earned wages while receiving temporary total disability compensation at the same time.
He was sentenced on Sept. 18 after pleading guilty to one felony count of theft. He received 180 days in jail, suspended for five years of community control. He was also ordered to pay restitution to BWC in the amount of $9,699.16. He must also maintain employment, have random urine screens and no new convictions.
Source: Ohio BWC SID