Eight individuals were arrested following a workers’compensation sting in Polk County, Florida, the state’s Department ofFinancial Services's Division of Insurance Fraud announced onJune 22.

The eight had advertised their ability to perform wide-rangingplumbing and electrical work without proper licenses or training,and without having workers’ compensation coverage to protect theiremployees in the event of an accident or injury, officialssaid.

Undercover sting

Detectives from the insurance fraud division, accompanied by otherlaw enforcement officers, established an undercover sting that tookplace over three days in an effort to stop the illegal practice,officials said. Detectives responded to public advertisementscreated by the defendants, requesting that they perform services ata specified location in Lakeland.

“Operations like this pull back the curtain on fraud in Florida,showing that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probablyis,” said Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who oversees thestate's Department of Financial Services. “Always ask questions,require all offers in writing and verify the credentials of everyindividual who may provide goods or services before any workbegins.”

Liability risk

When individuals knowingly neglect the law, they create a liabilityrisk for property owners by performing sub-par work and bypotentially leaving property owners responsible to cover medicalcosts if an uncovered worker is hurt on their property, officialssaid.

Multiple law enforcement agencies played a role in the sting,including the Lakeland Police Department, State Attorney’s Office,DFS’ Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Compliance, and the state'sDepartment of Business and Professional Regulation.

Of the eight individuals arrested, seven were booked on chargesof workers’ compensation fraud and unlicensed contracting. Oneindividual carried adequate workers’ compensation coverage, butfailed to hold a business license. He was charged with unlicensedcontracting.

If convicted, all eight face up to five years in prison, more iffound to be a repeat offender.