Worker Convicted of Worker's Compensation Fraud Sentenced to Six Months in Jail

April 30, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Worker Convicted of Workers? Compensation Fraud Sentenced to Six Months in Jail

Contact: Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin, (207) 822-0496

AUGUSTA: Attorney General Janet Mills announced today that the Superior Court (Beaudoin, J.) imposed a sentence of six months in jail on Landon Logsdon, age 37, of Portland, for a Class C felony of Theft by Deception in connection with his theft of workers? compensation benefits from 2006 through 2008.

The State alleged that Logsdon claimed to have hurt his back while working as a direct care worker for a client at a residence operated by Casa, Inc., an agency which provides services to mentally retarded individuals. A few hours after the alleged injury, however, Logsdon reported for a physically demanding training at a second employer, Granite Bay Care, an agency which serves clients with a combination of mental illness and mental retardation. At the training with the second employer, Logsdon asserted that he had no injury or incapacity which would prevent him from participating in the training or working at the agency. He kept the information about his training and employment with the second employer secret from Casa, Inc., and from its insurer, Maine Employers? Mutual Insurance Company or MEMIC.

Logsdon continued to work for Granite Bay Care while he claimed to Casa and its insurer that he was too injured to do any work at all. He stopped working for Granite Bay Care only when that agency learned of some issues in Logsdon?s background that precluded him from working with their clients.

As a result of the misrepresentation of his back injury, Logsdon obtained over $18,000 in lost wage benefits to which he was not entitled.

?Workers? compensation fraud truly hurts all Maine people. It weakens a system created to protect workers and it increases the cost of doing business by raising premiums,? said Mills. ?My office will work with the Workers? Compensation Board?s Fraud and Abuse Unit to prosecute fraudulent claims, and keep the workers? compensation program strong for the needs of workers injured on the job.?

The Attorney General would like to thank Assistant Attorney General Leanne Robbin, MEMIC, Casa, Granite Bay Care and the Workers? Compensation Fraud and Abuse Unit for their assistance with and cooperation in the investigation.

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