Woman Sentenced for Illegally Collecting Dead Husband's Comp Benefits

April 24, 2003
A Bethel, Ohio woman pled guilty to one count of felonious workers' compensation fraud in a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

Judy Riddle was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $5,401 and was sentenced to a two-year period of community control for continuing to collect workers' compensation benefits intended for her deceased husband.

"Workers' comp fraud is damaging to Ohio's employers and injured workers," said James Conrad, CEO/administrator, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). "To all those who try to steal, let this case be an example: BWC and its business partners will find and punish you if you defraud the workers' comp system."

Joseph Riddle was injured on July 9, 1992. While lifting a heavy mold, he sustained a sprained lumbosacral and disc displacement. BWC allowed the claim and awarded Riddle permanent total disability (PTD) benefits.

However, BWC's special investigations unit (SIU) launched an investigation on July 9, 2002, when a BWC claims service specialist (CSS) began receiving returned BWC mail with deceased written on it. The CSS then referred the case to the SIU for further investigation, because PTD benefits are terminated when an injured worker dies.

The investigation revealed Riddle died on Feb. 26, 2002. Between Feb. 26 and June 20, 2002, BWC made nine deposits into the Riddle's joint checking account; no other deposits were made into this account. During that time, Riddle made five withdrawals totaling $5,147.21, including one transaction BWC caught on tape.

Riddle was interviewed and admitted to making two withdrawals. She was indicted on Jan. 23, 2003.

In fiscal year 2002, BWC's SIU uncovered $98.8 million in savings from fraudulent activity. It referred 312 subjects for criminal prosecution.

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!