Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that on Wednesday, Elizabeth Adams (age 46), with a last known address of 102 Linwood Avenue, Pawtucket, pleaded nolo contendere before Providence Superior Court Justice Jeffrey Lanphear to one count of obtaining money under false pretenses for falsely reporting that she was injured while working for Stephen H. Chafee Roofing Company, and as a result, collecting more than $5,000 in workers' compensation insurance benefits.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Adams was sentenced to ten years, with two years to serve on home confinement and the remainder suspended with probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,000 to Liberty Mutual Insurance and the State of Rhode Island.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that between July 17, 2010 and December 30, 2010, Adams made false statements to her physician that she was injured at work and further, intentionally misrepresented the nature and extent of her injury, falsely claiming she was unable to perform physical activity in order to obtain workers' compensation insurance benefits. The defendant claimed she suffered an injury to her back which prohibited her from performing her duties.
The matter was referred to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Workers' Compensation Fraud and Compliance Unit by Liberty Mutual Insurance, the insurance company for Stephen H. Chafee Roofing.
A Liberty Mutual Insurance case manager noted inconsistencies in the defendant's statement regarding how she was injured. As a result, Liberty Mutual Insurance denied the complaint. The defendant filed a claim seeking benefits through the Workers' Compensation Court. In Rhode Island, employees may collect workers' compensation benefits during the claim process.
Liberty Mutual Insurance contracted with an independent surveillance company which captured video footage of the defendant performing tasks inconsistent with her alleged level of injury, including painting the exterior of her residence and lifting heavy objects.
After examining the defendant and watching the video footage, a physician hired to perform an independent medical exam determined the defendant's alleged injuries were grossly inconsistent with her ability to perform such tasks.
Liberty Mutual Insurance submitted their findings and supporting materials to the RI-DLT Workers' Compensation Fraud and Compliance Unit, which referred the case to the Office of Attorney General for prosecution.
"Workers' compensation fraud costs businesses and ultimately all of us in the form of higher prices for goods and services. This defendant brazenly attempted to take advantage of a system that is designed to protect honest employees who are legitimately injured on the job. I commend the work of the insurance company and DLT's Fraud and Compliance Unit for their comprehensive investigation into the defendant's illegal and unethical actions," said Attorney General Kilmartin.
Julie Tamuleviz, the Chief of the RI-DLT Workers' Compensation Fraud and Compliance Unit was the lead investigator on the case.