BRIEF: Naples construction company owner accused of avoiding $700,000 in workers’ premiums

May 21--A Naples construction company owner accused of avoiding about $700,000 in workers' compensation premium payments was arrested on charges of fraud last week.

Raimundo Hernandez-Argueta, owner of Complete Framing Professionals, was arrested by the Collier County Sheriff's Office May 12 and was released on $30,000 bond the same day.

The Florida Department of Financial Services insurance fraud and workers' compensation divisions started investigating Hernandez in August 2013. Visits to the Complete Framing Professionals job site led investigators to think Hernandez was concealing his company's payroll amount, according to a release.

Investigators found that Hernandez bought an insurance policy through the Florida United Business Association for four employees, each earning an annual wage of $50,000. Hernandez paid $26,910 for the one-year policy, according to the release.

Inspectors documented 108 employees and more than $5.5 million in total earnings during that time. Based on those numbers, Hernandez should have paid a premium of $728,057, according to the Department of Financial Services, the release stated.

If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 15 years in prison.

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