Ehstoday 1013 Money
Ehstoday 1013 Money
Ehstoday 1013 Money
Ehstoday 1013 Money
Ehstoday 1013 Money

Washington State Charges Elderly Couple with Felony Theft of $223,000 in Workers' Comp Benefits

Nov. 28, 2012
A Tacoma couple has been charged with one count of felony theft each for collecting workers' compensation benefits illegally.

Jamie S. Beroth, 63, and her husband, Lawrence J. Beroth, 67, own Beroth Drywall. Mrs. Beroth collected $100,664 in benefits from March 2009 through July 2011 on a workplace injury claim for a shoulder injury. Mr. 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.

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)  stopped benefit payments after an investigation determined that the Beroths had been working at their drywall company ever since the alleged injuries occurred.
The Beroths were arraigned on Nov. 15 in Pierce County Superior Court. They pled not guilty.

“We discovered that Mrs. Beroth continued to work at Beroth Drywall after her injury, actually preparing and submitting her husband’s injury paperwork to L&I,” said Greg McPherson, an investigator in L&I’s Fraud Prevention and Compliance Program. "We also took videos of Mr. Beroth working at his drywall business during the time he was receiving benefits and claiming he could not. The video shows him submitting bids, purchasing and hauling supplies, preparing for and working the jobs he received.”

Each felony count against the couple carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. 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 illegally collected.

Whatever the outcome of the criminal case, the Beroths will not continue receiving benefits and will be asked to make restitution.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!