Former Columbiana man pleads guilty to workers comp fraud

Staff report

columbiana

A former worker at Zarbana Industries in Columbiana pleaded guilty this month to fraud after an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation found he was collecting benefits and running a tattoo shop in Pennsylvania.

Randy Bartosh, also a former resident of Columbiana, pleaded guilty to one count of workers’ compensation fraud and one count of theft Aug. 15 in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court after repaying more than $4,500 to the state. He also was ordered to pay a $100 fine.

The BWC’s special- investigations department opened an investigation after a confidential source contacted the fraud hot line to say Bartosh was engaging in physical activity inconsistent with his complaints to doctors in his workers’ compensation claim.

Bartosh was receiving the benefits for an injury suffered while working for Zarbana, a fabrication and aluminum extrusion company.

Investigators conducted social-media searches and undercover operations and obtained bank records discovering that Bartosh opened a tattoo shop called 213’s Tattoo U in Coraopolis, Pa., while receiving temporary total disability benefits.

Bartosh tattooed customers and managed business and marketing operations.