Ex-N.Y. Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to $18K Workers’ Comp Scam

Authorities said a former U.S. Postal Service employee has pleaded guilty to receiving over $18,000 in fraudulent workers’ comp benefits.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Northern District of New York said Thomas Dombroski of North Syracuse entered a guilty plea Thursday.

Prosecutors said Dombroski, a former letter carrier with the U.S. Post Office in East Syracuse, admitted to defrauding the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Department of Labor of $18,353 by making false statements and representations to obtain federal workers comp benefits.

The defendant admitted to falsely representing that he was not employed, self-employed, or involved in any business enterprise in 2010 and 2011 when he was collecting federal workers comp benefits.

Prosecutors said Dombroski was receiving benefits based upon a claimed injury to his right shoulder that he said made him unable to use his right arm. But in fact, he worked for his own company, Picture Perfect Contractors, installing and repairing roofs and providing general home repair services while collecting benefits.

Authorities said agents videotaped him installing roofs, carrying building materials, repairing gutters, loading and carrying logs and firewood, carrying cement cinder blocks, and lifting a 55-pound air compressor.

Sentencing has been set for October 24, 2012, in Syracuse. The offense carries a maximum sentence of 5 years incarceration, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of three years, and a special assessment of $100.

Topics USA New York Workers' Compensation