Newark man ordered to repay $71K in workers’ comp benefits

Leslie Hammond, of Newark (Licking County), was sentenced Nov. 21 in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in connection with working while receiving disability benefits. In October, he pleaded guilty to one count of workers’ compensation fraud, a fifth-degree felony.

BWC received an allegation that Hammond was working while receiving benefits. Investigators conducted multiple interviews and reviewed bank records, which showed that Hammond worked as a subcontractor while receiving temporary total disability benefits. Injured workers are not permitted to work while receiving this type of benefit.

Hammond was sentenced to serve one year in jail, but that was suspended for five years of community control. As a condition of community control, Hammond must pay $71,310.82 in restitution to BWC; if this requirement is not met, he will serve the jail time.