Feds Arrest 5 In Alleged White Collar Crime Ring
POSTED: Thursday, April 19, 2007
UPDATED: 1:26 am EDT April 20,
2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Federal prosecutors announced on Thursday that they have dismantled a major white collar crime ring that they said scammed a handful of Jacksonville businesses.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink joined acting U.S. Attorney James R. Klindt and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Folmar in announcing a 25-count indictment charging five suspects in a $100 million workers’ compensation fraud scam that left hundreds of workers in Florida and throughout the United States without urgently needed medical care.
“We found one victim homeless, living in her car, because of mounting medical bills, and five families left with no death benefits after fatal accidents,” said Sink. “Floridians suffered greatly and did not receive needed medical care and workers’ compensation benefits because these individuals were interested only in enriching themselves.”
They said the suspects, who are from across the U.S., ran a fraudulent workers compensation scheme, pocketed the money and provided no benefits to victims' families.
The indictments unsealed on Thursday named Jerry M. Brewer, 56, of Capistrano Beach, Calif., currently residing in England; Donald E. Touchet, 53, of El Cajon, Calif.; Dr. Richard E. Standridge, 58, of Tempe, Ariz., Robert J. Jennings, 59, of Danville, Ill.; and Joshua Poole, 33, of Atlanta, Ga.
Three of the men are facing 215 years or more in prison if convicted on the counts against them, according to authorities.
“I want to thank every investigator, every attorney, and every crime analyst who helped bring these men in to justice,” said Sink. “Providing workers’ compensation coverage is both a legal and a moral obligation, and we owe it to these injured workers and surviving families to make these individuals answer for what they did.”
Copyright 2007 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.