Kenyan woman faces fraud charges in US
NLC ordered to probe claims of land occupation in Voi.
What you need to know:
- Investigators claim she initially injured her right shoulder, while employed as a nurse at Eastern State Hospital in 2021.
- After filing an L&I injury claim, investigations show Ms Kamau ceased working due to the injury and began receiving benefits.
A Kenyan woman in the US is facing charges of defrauding the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) of over Sh7.7 million ($60,000) in workers' compensation benefits.
According to the department, Serah Kamau, 52, unlawfully received over $60,000 in wage-replacement payments from the state fund intended for injured workers.
She pleaded not guilty in Spokane County Superior Court to first-degree theft on July 11 and is set to go on trial on September 23, 2024.
Investigators claim she initially injured her right shoulder, while employed as a nurse at Eastern State Hospital in 2021.
After filing an L&I injury claim, investigations show Ms Kamau ceased working due to the injury and began receiving benefits.
Despite claiming that she was unable to work due to a shoulder injury sustained, while employed as a registered nurse at Eastern State Hospital, investigators allege that Ms Kamau continued to operate her business, Brookhouse Adult Family Home, from her home.
She ran Brookhouse Adult Family Home, providing 24-hour care to clients with Dementia and intellectual disabilities, between 2021 and 2022, while still collecting wage-replacement benefits from L&I.
The investigation revealed that Ms Kamau had been receiving wage replacement payments since June 2021 following her injury claim.
Her doctor had certified that her injury was severe enough to prevent her from working, but suspicions arose when Kamau turned down a light-duty job at the hospital, citing her inability to drive a manual transmission vehicle.
Brookhouse Adult Family Home provided 24-hour care to clients with Dementia and intellectual disabilities through contracts Ms Kamau signed with the state Department of Social and Health Services, according to the lawsuit.
About a week after filing her L&I injury claim in June 2021, Ms Kamau signed the first of three DSHS contracts to care for clients at Brookhouse.
During the same period, she received wage replacement payments, according to court documents.
“Whether you own a business or are an employee, individuals receiving workers’ compensation benefits must disclose any work they’re doing while collecting benefits,” said Celeste Monahan, assistant director of L&I’s Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards division.
“It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s a legal obligation. Those who work and provide false information will be held accountable,” Monahan said.
An L&I investigation led to the indictment. The Washington State Attorney General's Office is prosecuting the case.
Ms Kamau pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree theft in Spokane County Superior Court.
L&I, which oversees the state's workers' compensation system, helps workers injured on the job heal and return to work.
In addition to the criminal charges, Ms Kamau has already repaid L&I $68,878 for the wrongly obtained benefits along with a $34,439 penalty under an earlier administrative order.
