Oneida County Heavy Equipment Operator Accused of Fraud

An Oneida County man accused of fraudulently collecting $26,000 in workers' compensation benefits while working as a heavy equipment operator was arrested Thursday, the New York State Insurance Department reported.

State police at Marcy arrested Richard L. Wyman, 60, of North Lake Road, Forestport, following an investigation by Tom Hurley, an investigator with the Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau, and the New York State Insurance Fund.

Wyman accepted wage replacement benefits after suffering a work-related injury and submitted documents claiming that the injury prevented him from working in any capacity. However, investigators found that he was employed as a heavy equipment operator while collecting the benefits.

Wyman was charged with insurance fraud and offering a false instrument for filing. He could be sentenced to up to four years in prison if convicted. He was released pending a hearing in Oneida County Court. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bernard Hyman.

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