Florida Sting Nets Workers Comp Violations

The Florida Department of Financial Services recently announced the arrest of 11 individuals in Manatee County for unlicensed contracting and engaging in construction work without workers compensation insurance.

The Division of Insurance Fraud, in partnership with the Department of Business & Professional Regulation, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Holmes Police Department and Manatee County Code Enforcement executed the sting over a three-day period, calling for contractors to perform services at an uninhabited home in Manatee County.

All 11 defendants were charged with unlicensed contracting and workers comp fraud. Each was also fined by local code enforcement and issued a Cease and Desist order by DBPR.

They are:

• Jarrod David Roan
• David James Wollard
• Michael Dean Mosley II
• Julian Lowell Culbreath
• Lee Entler
• Michael Todd Blumin
• Ernest Alexis
• Franklin Nelson Childress
• Richard Murphy
• Warren Edward Howard
• James Mark Todd

If convicted, the arrested individuals face up to five years prison for each workers comp charge and an additional year for a first time unlicensed contractor charge or five years for repeat offenders.

The Department of Financial Services has awarded nearly $350,000 to nearly 60 citizens as part of its Anti-Fraud Reward Program. The program rewards individuals up to $25,000 for information that directly leads to an arrest and conviction in an insurance fraud scheme.

Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: kstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.

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