Indicted Maine Ex-Official Received Workers Comp

A former Maine official facing federal extortion, tax evasion and fraud charges has reportedly received federal workers compensation payments of $50,000 a year.

Carole Swan has pleaded not guilty to charges she use her official position to extort $20,000 from a local Chelsea construction company. She’s also accused of fraudulently charging the town more twice as much for a project than it cost her husband’s construction company to do the work.

Court documents obtained by the Kennebec Journal through a public records request show Swan has received the workers comp payments for an arm and shoulder injury she sustained while working for the U.S. Postal Service in 1997.

The newspaper reports that federal prosecutors are seeking the return of at least $150,000 of the payments as part of the court case.

Swan’s attorney had no comment.