Arrest Warrant Issued For WA Man Who Claimed Bar Fight Injury Was Work-Related

Yelm, WA (WorkersCompensation.com) – A man who bragged on social media that he got workers’ compensation for an injury he actually got in a bar fight will likely be charged with second-degree theft, officials said.

Chuck Riccio claimed in 2018 that his hand injury was due to his job at a bathware manufacturer while he was pulling apart a shower unit. He received more than $1,000 in medical services to treat his injuries

But after Riccio bragged on social media that he had gotten workers’ compensation to pay the medical expenses for an injury he actually received in a bar fight, investigators looked into his claim.

Last week, an arrest warrant was issued for Riccio by a Thurston County judge, where prosecutors expect to charge him with second-degree theft. According to the Thurston County Superior Court, Riccio had not been arrested or charged as of Monday.

“It’s truly outrageous when someone blatantly lies and files a fake claim to try to game the workers’ comp system,” Assistant Director for Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards Chris Bowe said in a press release. “We’re here to help injured workers who are legitimately injured on the job so they can recover and return to work.”

Investigators said several witnesses came forward to testify that Riccio had actually injured his hand in a bar fight when he punched someone.

"This case, from the beginning, just smelled bad," said Randy Littlefield, Chief of Investigations for Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L & I) in a press release.

Littlefield said that social media posts and pictures are a valuable resource for investigators.

“Everyone has a camera in their pocket. Everybody's taking a video and people are a little self-absorbed," said Littlefield, "So they want to post a lot about themselves, so it’s great for us."

According to L & I investigators, at one point, Riccio texted a picture of his bandaged hand to someone with the message “Now L & I will cover it.”

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