Charge: Washington Couple Takes $223,000 in Workers’ Comp

A Tacoma, Wash., couple has been charged with falsely claiming workers compensation benefits and pocketing $223,000.

The state Department of Labor & Industries says 63-year-old Jamie S. Beroth collected $100,664 in benefits between March 2009 and July 2011 for a workplace injury claim. Her husband, 67-year-old Lawrence Beroth, also received $123,094.02 in time-loss benefit payments from August 2009 to October 2011 for an industrial injury.

Both claimed they were unable to work during this period. But department investigators allege the couple continued working on their drywall business.

The couple pleaded not guilty last Thursday in Pierce County Superior Court.

The total amount of restitution the court could order them to repay is $223,758.31, which is the amount of time-loss benefits that they collected illegally.