Mail Fraud Charges Used To Fight Workers' Compensation Claimant
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Mail fraud indictments are a favorite tool of federal prosecutors for just about any campaign de jour .
These charges were used recently in a case brought by federal prosecutors against a workers' compensation claimant.
A former employee of the Postal Service has denied federal charges of lying about disabilities while she collected approximately $69,000 in benefits from workers' compensation. On Thursday, March 20, 56-year-old Martinsdale, Montana native Bonnie Margaret Schreiber entered a plea of not guilty to charges of two counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and theft of federal government money.
According to the indictment, Schreiber allegedly regularly filed false claims with the U.S. Department of Labor related to payments for workers' compensation and lied to doctors and the Postal Service about her condition.
According to Schreiber's claims, she was "totally disabled" and unable to stand, sit, or walk for long time periods and wasn't able to routinely bend over for the performance of routine actions on a regular basis. According to the indictment, Schreiber in fact knew that she was able to sit or stand for long time periods while hunting, fishing, stacking and cutting firewood, and operating a tractor. It also noted that she was able to bend from the waist in order to perform manual labor such as clearing debris from fence lines and lifting and hauling firewood.
According to the prosecution, Schreiber received $68,726 in fraudulent benefits and used the mail and wires to carry out her scheme.
Schreiber began her employment with the Postal Service in 1972 before becoming a part-time regular letter carrier in Roundup, Montana in 1974. Her first workers' comp claim was filed in 1977, alleging she had injured her right leg and back. She underwent surgical procedures on her back in 1978 and 1979 and had returned to work as a full-time mail processing clerk by 1981.
Schreiber filed her second and third claims during the 1980s, claiming she had suffered carpal tunnel syndrome and a back disorder and stress. In 1986, she stopped working and was placed on long-term rolls for workers' comp in 1987. She continued receiving monthly benefits until her indictment.
Schreiber is facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the fraud counts and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the charge of theft.