CRIME Lisbon man sentenced for workers' comp fraud

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation announced a Lisbon man has been sentenced for a misdemeanor charge of workers' compensation fraud.
Kenneth Miller, owner of JIT Pallets Inc., was sentenced to two years' probation, 80 hours of community service to satisfy a $400 fine, investigative costs in the amount of $598.48 and restitution in the amount of $47,698.97 to BWC.
"Employers without workers' compensation coverage are not only breaking the law, but also driving up rates for everyone else," said James Conrad, BWC Administrator and CEO. "Our goal is to find those employers who ignore their responsibility to pay workers' compensation premiums so that we can reduce workers' compensation costs for all Ohio businesses."
BWC's special investigations unit learned of possible fraud by Miller when a former partner claimed that he was operating without workers' comp coverage. The investigation confirmed Miller was in fact noncompliant and had operated JIT Pallets Inc. since September 1999 without proper workers' compensation insurance.
BWC's SIU specializes in identifying and investigating workers' compensation fraud. Since its establishment in 1993, the department has saved the agency more than $820 million.
To report workers' compensation fraud, call (800) OHIO BWC or contact your local BWC customer service office and ask for the fraud department. You also can submit an allegation on BWC's Web site at ohiobwc.com.