Whatever their motivation, those who try and cheat the workers compensation system almost always end up getting caught.
Tip From Fraud Reporting System
In looking at a case in New Zealand, authorities with the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) used a tip to their fraud reporting system to nab a man who was defrauding the system.
As the story goes, Auckland resident Trevor John Siggleko was convicted in the Auckland District Court recently on five charges of dishonestly using documents, laid under Section 228 of the Crimes Act 1961.
Siggleko was sentenced by Judge Harvey to 300 hours of community work, and he was also ordered to pay full reparation of the money he obtained fraudulently, totalling $13,223.93.
Defendant Received Compensation for Nearly 7 Years
Authorities report that Siggleko began receiving weekly compensation in February of 2004 after injuring himself at work, and payments continued for almost the next seven years on the basis that Siggleko was unfit for work.
However, the tip-off revealed that Siggleko worked for four different employers during this period, undertaking both full-time and casual roles as a factory worker and general labourer.
Throughout the period of offending, Siggleko reportedly continued to sign documents stating that he was unfit for work, and he failed to advise ACC he was working and receiving work-related earnings.
ACC’s General Manager of Claims Management, Sid Miller, noted that ACC relies on help from the public to identify people who are defrauding ACC.
“We appreciate the support we get from people who alert us to possible wrongdoing.
“Kiwis pay ACC levies to help people with genuine injury-related needs – not so that people can misuse ACC for their own personal gain.”
Author Michael B. Stack, CPA, Director of Operations, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in employer communication systems and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. He is a writer, speaker, and website publisher. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: [email protected].
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