Ex-postal worker caught with hand in comp fraud cookie jar

Christine O’Neill, of Johnson City, New York, was sentenced Tuesday to three years’ probation after she was caught defrauding the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Department of Labor of $46,287 by making false statements to obtain federal workers compensation benefits, according to a statement issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of New York.

Postal worker Ms. O’Neill, who claims she was injured at work, was accused of falsely representing that she was not employed, self-employed, or involved in any business enterprise during periods of time in 2015 and 2016 when she was collecting federal workers compensation benefits.

An investigation found that Ms. O’Neill was operating her own company “Chris’ Cookies and Cakes,” preparing and delivering cakes and cookies to customers during the times she collected benefits.

Agents with the postal service’s inspector general’s office videotaped Ms. O’Neill selling baked goods at a local craft fair during the course of their investigation and bought baked goods from Ms. O’Neill, who provided the undercover agent with a business card, according to the statement.