Frank Palesh, of Reno, Nevada (formerly of Willoughby, Lake County), pleaded guilty Feb. 26 in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to one count of workers’ compensation fraud, a fifth-degree felony.
BWC received an allegation that Palesh might be starting an auto repair business, but investigators instead discovered through records and interviews that Palesh returned to employment as an owner and operator of an eBay.com online store while receiving temporary total disability benefits between 2009 and 2012. Injured workers are not permitted to work while receiving this type of benefit.
Palesh was sentenced to serve one year in prison, which was suspended for five years of community control. He was ordered to repay $42,313.09 in restitution to BWC. Palesh also served 29 days in jail for failure to appear in court.