Two Convicted in Workers’ Compensation Fraud Cases in New York

In New York, the state’s Inspector General Lucy Lang announced significant developments in two separate workers’ compensation fraud cases, underlining the ongoing efforts to combat fraud within the system. In the first case, Monroe County resident Brian Simpson, aged 55, was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay full restitution of more than $16,000 after defrauding the workers’ compensation system. Simpson had falsely claimed he was unable to work due to an alleged workplace injury while actually being employed as a bus driver for First Transit, Inc., thereby illicitly obtaining benefits.

In a separate but equally striking case, former New York State Correction Officer Charles Epps, 56, from Buffalo, admitted to insurance fraud and grand larceny, having wrongfully collected over $35,000 in workers’ compensation indemnity benefits. Epps’s fraudulent activity extended to also collecting Social Security disability benefits, totaling over $16,907.40, through the concealment of his employment with New York Trailways as a motor coach operator. His guilty plea follows an extensive investigation prompted by a referral from the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, revealing that despite claiming a disability, Epps was actively working and falsely reported his work status in official documents.

These cases highlight the rigorous investigative work and the collaborative efforts between state agencies to identify and penalize fraudulent activities within the workers’ compensation system. Such instances of fraud not only undermine the integrity of the system but also place undue strain on the resources meant to assist legitimately injured workers.