October 12, 2005

Seven arrested in workers' comp fraud sweep

Goshen - Seven people from Orange and Ulster counties were arrested over the past week in a crackdown on workers' comp fraud, state and local authorities announced today.

Six of the seven are accused of collecting workers' compensation disability benefits while working other jobs. The seventh is accused of forging documents to hide the fact that her contracting company's comp insurance was expired.

The investigations and arrests saved the public roughly $1.04 million, said Orange County Sheriff Carl DuBois, whose investigators worked with state police and the state Insurance Department to make the arrests.

"The public should be angry about this. The public should be enraged because every single honest New Yorker pays for these crimes," state Insurance Superintendent Howard Mills said during a news conference this afternoon at the sheriff's office.

- Oliver Mackson