OH: Woman Convicted for Cashing Dead Mother’s Workers' Comp Benefits

Columbus, OH (WorkersCompensation.com) - An Alabama woman was convicted of workers’ compensation fraud last month after investigators discovered she was cashing her deceased mother’s workers' comp checks more than a year after her mother died. 
 
Patricia Barney pleaded guilty Jan. 23 in a Franklin County courtroom to a fifth-degree felony charge of workers’ compensation fraud. A judge sentenced Barney to five years of probation and ordered her to pay the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) $18,000 in restitution.
 
“Ms. Barney was clearly not the intended recipient of these benefits, and I’m pleased we brought her fraudulent activity to an end,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud.
 
BWC’s Special Investigations Department found Barney, who was an authorized user on a bank account where her mother's BWC benefit payments were being directly deposited, continued to use funds on the account after her mother passed away in January 2017. She did so until May 2018 without notifying BWC.
 
Other convictions in January include:
 
Shawn Ferrer of Canton, Ohio 
Ferrer pleaded guilty Jan. 28 in Franklin County Court to one count of workers' compensation fraud, a first-degree misdemeanor, for working while receiving disability checks. A judge ordered Ferrer to pay $1,599 in restitution to BWC and sentenced to 90 days in jail and six months of probation. 
 
Glenn Cummings and Jack Cummings, dba Cummings Moving & Storage of Dayton, Ohio
Glenn and Jack Cummings owed BWC more $9,600 in premiums and penalties after they were convicted of operating their business without workers’ compensation coverage since September 2017.
 
Jack Cummings pleaded guilty Jan. 21 Dayton Municipal Court to one minor misdemeanor count of failure to comply and was sentenced to pay a $50 fine and court costs. Glenn Cummings pleaded guilty Jan. 23 to one minor misdemeanor count of failure to comply and was sentenced to pay a $25 fine and court costs. BWC reinstated their policy Jan. 21 after the Cummings paid their premiums and established a reinstatement payment plan.
 
Barton Carmichael, dba Haul Away Containers Inc, Bigdumpster.com LLC, and Wastetran LTD of Akron, Ohio 
Carmichael pleaded guilty Jan. 21 in Franklin County to one amended charge of theft, a first-degree misdemeanor, for operating his businesses without workers’ compensation coverage. A judge ordered Carmichael to pay $14,329 to BWC in restitution. His 180-day jail sentence was suspended. 
  
Todd Bennett, dba Rent-A-Vision, McConnelsville, Ohio
 Bennett pleaded guilty Jan. 6 in Morgan County Court to two counts of failure to comply, both second-degree misdemeanors, for operating his business without workers’ compensation. A judge ordered Bennett to pay $50 in fines plus court costs for each count.

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