New Zealander Convicted in Workers Compensation Scam Using Bogus Medical Certificates

New Zealand resident has been convicted and fined $1,000 for fraud, according to the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC). The man pleaded guilty to five charges under the Accident Compensation Act. He was fined and ordered to repay ACC $6,519.84

The 45-year-old man injured his wrist in 2005. For various periods between 2005 and 2009, he presented medical certificates to ACC certifying him as unable to resume any work duties. As a result he received weekly compensation to replace lost earnings. (WCxKit)

However, ACC’s investigation unit discovered the worked was working between October 2008 and January 2009 as a machine operator.

ACC General Manager Claims Management Denise Cosgrove welcomed the successful prosecution saying, “This prosecutionis the result of hard work by our dedicated investigation unit and serves as a warning to anyone else who is claiming financial support that they are not entitled to. People that defraud ACC are stealing money from all New Zealanders and diverting funds that would otherwise be used to pay for services for those who really need our support.” (WCxKit)

Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers’ Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. Contact: [email protected] or 860-553-6604.

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Do not use this information without independent verification. All state laws vary. You should consult with your insurance broker or agent about workers' comp issues.