Man convicted over $114,952 workers compensation fraud
10 Mar 2025•BlueSafe Team•Source: WorkSafe VIC
A 57-year-old Lynbrook man has been convicted after receiving $114,952 in workers compensation while working in a role paying $200,000 a year. He has repaid the full amount.
The Frankston Magistrates' Court sentenced the man on Thursday 20 February after he pleaded guilty to one charge of fraudulently obtaining payments and one charge of providing false or misleading information. He received an 18-month Community Corrections Order requiring him to complete 180 hours of unpaid community work.
The court heard the man injured his leg, shoulder and lower back when he slipped and fell while working for a plant hire company in April 2021. His compensation claim was accepted in June 2021. He continued working and submitting suitable employment certificates until he underwent surgery in May 2022.
He did not return to work after surgery. When he formally resigned in June 2022, he began receiving weekly compensation payments and submitting medical certificates stating he had no capacity for employment.
A WorkSafe investigation found he had started work that same month as a business manager for a rail freight business, with an annual salary of $200,000. On 11 of the 13 medical certificates he submitted after resigning, he falsely declared he was not employed.
The man was also asked about his employment status on three occasions while receiving compensation and falsely denied working each time. His weekly payments were stopped in April 2023 on fraud grounds. He has since repaid the full $114,952.
Return to Work Victoria Executive Director Jason Lardelli said the case revealed an attempt to exploit Victoria's workers compensation system for personal gain. "It's really disappointing to see when someone knowingly accepts workers compensation payments while already earning a full-time salary," Mr Lardelli said.
"Not only is it a crime, it's a breach of community trust to those who genuinely rely on the scheme while they can't work." He added: "WorkSafe has stepped up monitoring and compliance checks. Those who behave in this way will be caught, and they will face the full consequences of their actions."