N.Y. Woman Pays Steep Price for Workers Comp Fraud

A 37 year old Ronkonkoma, New York woman has paid $41,160 in restitution and faces five years probation after pleading guilty in a case of workers’ compensation fraud against the New York State Insurance Fund.

According to NYSIF, Lisa Marie Cavalieri entered a guilty plea to a charge of third degree grand larceny in Nassau County Court August 8 stemming from her November 2006 arrest by Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice’s office on felony workers’ compensation fraud charges.

Officials said Cavalieri began receiving $350 per week in workers’ compensation benefits from NYSIF after claiming a back injury suffered while working as a marketing display manager in March 1998. In February 2004, investigators found that she had returned to work in an office in February 2004 while denying to NYSIF that she was employed.

In addition to the $41,160 Cavalieri received in benefits, NYSIF estimated potential future savings in this case at just under $250,000 in unpaid benefits as a result of the arrest and conviction.

Source: NYSIF