Two Must Pay Restitution After Comp Fraud Convictions

Tuesday, June 11, 2019 | 0

An Ohio worker and a business owner were convicted and sentenced on workers’ compensation fraud charges, bringing to 38 the number of convictions the Bureau of Workers' Compensation has obtained so far this year, the bureau announced.

“When people cheat the BWC system, they are cheating the employers and hard-working Ohioans across this state who play by the rules,” BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud said in a news release.

The BWC said Bruce Collier, of Chardon, pleaded guilty May 21 to one count of misdemeanor workers' compensation fraud. Collier, who worked as the owner of Travel Specialist Group while receiving BWC benefits, was ordered to pay $12,487 in restitution, which he did at the time of sentencing.

Jesse Lemaster, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to two counts of failure to comply on May 8. The owner of Lemaster Tree Care was sentenced to 30 days in jail for each charge, with the sentence suspended pending a July 10 hearing during which Lemaster must show the court he has valid workers’ compensation coverage.