Ohio BWC Probes Result in 8 Workers’ Comp Fraud Convictions

Eight individuals were convicted of or pleaded guilty to charges related to defrauding Ohio’s workers’ compensation system during the month of August, announced the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). Details on some of the investigations are listed below:

• Cecil Webb pleaded guilty to eleven felony counts of deception to obtain a dangerous drug and one first degree misdemeanor count of workers’ compensation fraud.

• Robert Black, DBA Mallard Home Services, pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud for operating his business without coverage. Agents interviewed Black, who indicated the altered certificate was a clerical error on his part, and then admitted to operating a business while his business’ coverage was in final cancel status and submitting false payroll and other information to BWC.

• Dr. John Esarco, DC pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud for billing for services not rendered. The investigation found Esarco was billing for exercise therapy, a service which he did not perform.

• George Seiber pleaded guilty to working while receiving benefits. Seiber owned and operated Roofer Inc.com while receiving temporary total disability benefits.

• Dana Fordenwalt, owner of Twin Peaks Roofing, pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors for failure to comply with the law for underpaying his workers’ compensation and misrepresenting the number of workers employed by his business.

The court actions are the result of investigations conducted by BWC’s Special Investigations Department (SID).

Source: Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation