Austin, TX – The Texas Deparment of Insurance’s Division of Workers’ Compensation recently announced that a Houston area businessman faces multiple charges in connection with a long-running premium fraud scheme.
Police in Stafford, Texas arrested Kunal “Sonny” Puri on January 11, 2022. Puri was transferred to the Fort Bend County jail where he posted a $20,000 bond.
In December, a Travis County grand jury returned two indictments against Puri and several of his corporations including Sehgal & Sons Enterprises, Ultra Building Services Inc, and Ultra Medical Cleaning & Environmental Services.
It’s alleged that for a period of seven years from July 24, 2009, to August 16, 2016, Puri, of Stafford, Texas hid employees and their payroll under other companies to lower workers’ compensation insurance premiums and obtain work contracts.
The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) Prosecution and Fraud Units worked closely with the affected insurance carriers, Texas Mutual Insurance Company, Service Lloyds, and Travelers.
“We are committed to identifying and investigating dishonest individuals who work to enrich themselves by exploiting the workers’ compensation system,” says DWC’s Deputy Commissioner of Compliance and Investigations, Debra Knight.
Puri is charged with securing execution of documents by deception with intent to harm or defraud.
An indictment is an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, Puri faces up to 99 years in prison.
Source: TDI-DWC