Florist pleads guilty to workers’ comp fraud

Staff report

COLUMBUS

A Boardman florist has pleaded guilty to a felony count of workers’ compensation fraud for working while receiving benefits.

James Landis, owner of Mum’s the Word Florist on Lockwood Boulevard, told the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation several times that he was incapable of working in any capacity.

BWC said its investigation revealed, however, that Landis was the primary operator of the business while on temporary total disability.

Landis served customers, arranged and delivered flowers, set up floral displays at events and did the business’ administrative paperwork, BWC said.

Landis, who will be sentenced in this case Dec. 15, has repaid $19,000 in improperly received benefits and agreed to pay $8,066 in investigative costs.

In a separate criminal case, Landis and three other Mahoning Valley men were indicted by a federal grand jury last month on charges they staged a truck crash into the florist shop Jan. 27, 2010, and pretended it was an accident, to collect insurance money totaling $73,424 for the shop and $11,925 for the damaged truck.