Fla. Man Arraigned for Comp Fraud

A Florida man has been arraigned on charges he schemed to collect $27,489 in workers’ compensation benefits while continuing to work. Douglas Poole, 47, was charged with Workers’ Compensation Fraud (3 counts) and Larceny Over $250 (1 count). On Sept. 14, 1992, Poole, then employed by the construction company A. Paul Etre Builders, was injured in a fall sustained at work. He applied for and began receiving workers’ comp benefits through the Department of Industrial Accidents (DIA) from September1992 through May 2006. According to authorities, Poole, formerly of Spencer, Mass. and current resident of Spring Hill, Fla., allegedly collected workers’ comp benefits while continuing to operate and work at his own construction company, Construction Unlimited, on separate occasions over a three year period from October 2002 through November 2005. On April 10, 2003, Poole reportedly submitted an Employee Earning Report (E.E.R.) for the time period from October 2002 to April 2003 to DIA stating that he was entitled to benefits and earned no other wages. An investigation by the Insurance Fraud Bureau revealed that Poole was allegedly paid $2,907 from the town of Spencer for snowplowing services rendered during this time period in which he reported to the DIA that he was not working. A subsequent report submitted by Poole to DIA on Nov. 13, 2005, for the time period of May 1, 2003, to Nov. 1, 2003, reportedly claimed that he was entitled to benefits and earned no other wages. During this time period, Poole was allegedly paid $3,000 for a roofing contract for his construction company Construction Unlimited. Poole reportedly issued an additional report to DIA on Nov. 14, 2005, reporting that from the time period from Nov. 1, 2004, to May 1, 2005, that he was entitled to benefits and earned no other wages. According to authorities, Poole allegedly earned $10,319 for a roofing contract for his company Construction Unlimited at a private residence. The alleged fraud was initially detected by Liberty Mutual and reported to the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts (IFB) on Jan. 30, 2006. This case was referred to the Attorney General’s Office on Nov. 13, 2006. A Grand Jury returned indictments against Poole on July 12, 2007. On Feb. 13, 2008, Poole was arrested in Florida, on a default warrant and transported to Massachusetts. At this week's arraignment, Poole entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered held on $30,000 bail. He is due back in court on April 3, 2008, for a pretrial hearing.