Md. Court Orders Claimant to Pay IWIF $38,000

As a result of an anonymous tip received by the Maryland Insurance Fraud Division, Mark Knott, a Hyattsville resident, pled guilty of unlawfully collecting workers’ compensation insurance benefits since 1995 from IWIF, Maryland’s largest workers’ compensation insurer, in Baltimore County District Court.

The IFD obtained a warrant for Knott’s arrest after Knott reportedly failed to appear in court to face charges of insurance fraud. On March 18, 2003, Knott was sentenced to three years suspended sentence and was ordered to pay IWIF $38,000 in restitution, payable in monthly installments over a three year period.

Knott had reportedly filed for workers’ compensation benefits in 1995 after he allegedly was injured while working for a tile and plumbing company in Mitchellville, MD. During an extensive investigation conducted by IWIF’s Special Investigations Unit, it was discovered that Knott also owned and operated a home improvement company while collecting temporary total benefits from IWIF.

Records indicated that Knott reportedly illegally operated this company without a state-required home improvement license. This was discovered after a person whom had contracted Knott’s services filed a complaint with the Maryland Home Improvement Commission for Knott’s failure to complete work.