New York's Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Riceannounced that a sweep targeting county residents who stealundeserved workers' compensation and insurance benefits hasresulted in the arrest of six people involved in fraud.

The first of the six persons accused is Alma Coles, 49, ofFreeport. Coles allegedly deposited workers' compensation benefitchecks that belonged to her deceased father into accounts shecontrolled. Her father died in September 2009, but Coles continuedto sign her father's name on seven checks and deposited a total of$3,776 into her daughter's money market account from October 2009to January 2010. She is charged with grand larceny in the thirddegree, insurance fraud in the third degree, criminal possession ofa forged instrument and falsifying business records. She faces upto seven years if convicted.

Forty-nine-year-old Anthony DiBenedetto, of Massapequa, NYsustained an injury to his neck in 2002 while delivering milk forBeyer Farms and was awarded workers' compensation benefits of $400per week. An investigation, however, revealed that DiBenedetto wasthe owner of Legal Limousines, Inc. of Lindenhurst, and on twooccasions accepted cash deposits from DA undercover investigatorsfor limousine services while collecting benefits. In total,DiBenedetto fraudulently collected $30,185 in workers' compensationbenefits from his insurance carrier and $140,777 in Social Securitydisability benefits. He is charged with grand larceny in the seconddegree, grand larceny in the third degree, insurance fraud in thethird degree, offering a false instrument for filing in the firstdegree, falsifying business records in the first degree, andpenalties for fraudulent acts. He faces up to 15 years ifconvicted.

Ava Donovan, 61, of Levittown injured her back in 1994 whileworking as a data entry clerk and was awarded workers compensationbenefits of $215 per week. An investigation revealed that in 2006she applied for work as a babysitter with Creative Rent-a-Sitter,Inc., and was hired as a baby sitter earning $525 a week. Shefraudulently collected $33,755 in benefits and is charged withgrand larceny in the third degree, insurance fraud in the thirddegree, offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree,falsifying business records in the first degree, and penalties forfraudulent acts. If convicted, she faces up to seven years.

Christopher Lent, 43, of Glen Cove injured his thumb whileworking as an HVAC engineer for MTA New York City Transit inOctober of 2008. Lent was cleared to return to work in March of2009, but in September of 2009 he injured his shoulder. Lent wascleared to return to work for restricted duty, but New York CityTransit had no available positions to fill. An investigationrevealed that he was then employed by North Shore Long IslandJewish Hospital in January 2008. Payroll records reflect that thehospital paid him a total of $69,157. Lent failed to notify the NYCTransit of his return to work and fraudulently collected $30,646 inbenefits. He was charged with grand larceny in the third degree,insurance fraud in the third degree, offering a false instrumentfor filing in the first degree, and penalties for fraudulent acts.He faces up to seven years if convicted.

Jennifer McGill, 30, of Farmingdale submitted a claim to NassauCounty in March 2009 for damage done to her front lawn by a countysnow plow. On April 13, 2010 she submitted another claim totaling$597.60 for the same damage to her home. This time, however, theinvoices she submitted were altered. She is charged with criminalpossession of a forged instrument in the second degree, offering afalse instrument for filing in the first degree, and attemptedpetty larceny. She faces up to seven years in prison ifconvicted.

Brent Tiringer, 40, of Selden allegedly submitted two falseinsurance certificates to a contractor claiming he had workers'compensation insurance. A routine audit discovered the fraud, andas a result of the investigation the contractor would be billed$4,000 for hiring an uninsured contractor. He is charged withcriminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree,falsifying business records, and penalties for fraudulent acts. Hefaces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

With a total of over $239,000 in taxpayer money stolen, the sixoffenders could face steep sentences for their dishonesty.