Fraudsters admit to working while getting comp benefits

Three people have pleaded guilty to working while receiving workers compensation benefits, Ohio's Bureau of Workers' Compensation said Friday.

The March fraud convictions were the result of investigations conducted by the bureau's special investigations department, bureau administrator and CEO Steve Buehrer said in a statement.

Kevin Gruver of Elyria, Ohio pleaded guilty on March 16 to working as a temporary employee for multiple companies while collecting workers comp benefits. He was sentenced to 180 days in jail and is required to pay $6,959.65 in restitution, the statement says.

On March 10, Charles Bentley of Mentor, Ohio pleaded guilty to workers comp fraud for working as a snow plow truck driver while receiving temporary total disability benefits, the statement said. Mr. Bentley has paid the required restitution of $22,125.60 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Amato Zaccone Jr. of Hubbard, Ohio pleaded guilty to a first-degree misdemeanor count of workers comp fraud on March 10, the workers comp bureau said. Investigators found that Mr. Zaccone was working as a cook for McMenamy's L.L.C. in Niles, Ohio while receiving temporary total disability workers comp benefits.

Mr. Zaccone has been ordered to pay $1,045.20 in restitution, the statement said.

“We encourage Ohioans to contact us when they suspect fraud,” Mr. Buehrer said in the statement. “Our agents look into every allegation as part of their ongoing work to put an end to fraud and deter future scams against Ohio's injured workers and businesses.”

The bureau is Ohio's monopoly workers comp insurer, providing coverage to more than 254,000 Ohio employers, according to the bureau's website.