A Kingston, N.Y., woman is accused of going to some extreme lengths in order to continue collecting workers' comp benefits while allegedly working another job.
Erika Bravo, 35, is accused of fraudulently accepting $34,900 in benefits over a two-year period. According to a report from the New York Department of Insurance, Bravo started collecting the benefits after hurting her back while employed as a housekeeper at a senior citizens' residence in August 2007.
During a workers' compensation hearing in 2008, Bravo testified that she was no longer working. However, some time after the hearing, her former employer at the senior citizen center noticed her working in an area fast-food restaurant. The employer contacted investigators, who discovered that Bravo had gained employment at the restaurant using the name of a distant relative, as well as a fictitious address and Social Security number.
Bravo faces charges of perjury, insurance fraud, identity theft and workers' compensation fraud. She could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison if she is convicted.
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