Worker charged with defrauding restaurant’s insurance company

Sept. 27--PANAMA CITY -- A former Po' Folks employee has been arrested after allegedly defrauding the restaurant's insurance company of more than $20,000 in workers' compensation, according to Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) reports.

Andrew Davis, 58, appeared in court Wednesday to face charges in the case. He was arrested recently after claiming he suffered a lower back injury in 2016 while moving furniture for Po' Folks and received $21,487 in workers' compensation from the businesses insurance company. Davis faces a charge of felony workers' compensation fraud of more than $20,000, according to court records.

DFS investigators claim that Davis knowingly made false statements during his hiring that set him up to receive workers' compensation and then perpetuated the lie that he previously had not received workers' compensation for his back injury.

"Davis' history of two prior workers' compensation claims, that both resulted in civil action, would show an advanced knowledge of his medical claims history," officers wrote. "Had Davis disclosed this information during his pre-employment questionnaire, Retail First Insurance would not have been exposed to this loss. Davis continued to hide these lies during the claim and medical treatment process."

However, Davis also allegedly told investigators that he only knew he injured his "tail bone" in a previous claim and did not know that consisted of his lower back.

___

(c)2018 The News Herald (Panama City, Fla.)

Visit The News Herald (Panama City, Fla.) at www.newsherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.