A man is being accused of submitting multiple false positive covid-19 tests so he could stay home and collect workers’ compensation for months.
Man submitted false covid tests for months to collect workers’ compensation
Ajani Shaw, 23, is charged with one count of grand larceny, one count of insurance fraud and seven counts of forgery, falsifying business records and fraudulent workers’ compensation practices, according to New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang.
Shaw was working part-time in the kitchen of a nursing home in April 2020 when he filed a workers’ compensation claim for exposure to covid-19. Included in her claim was a doctor’s note and a positive Covid test.
Shaw began collecting $150 a week in workers’ compensation.
He then submitted seven more positive Covid-19 tests and two more doctor’s notes indicating he should remain off work.
“The insurer continued to pay benefits to Shaw until July 24, 2020, when it noticed that many of the positive test results used the same sample ID,” the statement said. He was paid more than $1,700 in workers’ compensation benefits.
Investigators determined that two of the positive tests Shaw submitted in April were real and the rest were fake, officials said. One of the doctor’s notes was also false.
“Workers’ compensation insurance is essential to the success of our state’s workforce and businesses, and even more so in times of crisis,” Lang said. “Thank you to our partners at the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office for helping to ensure the integrity of this vital safety net.”
