Unlicensed contractors, all without proper workers’ compensation insurance on their workers, have been charged in another law enforcement sting operation in Florida, authorities said.
The state’s chief financial officer and the Pasco County Sheriff’s office announced Thursday that 13 people were arrested after a sting in Tarpon Springs in April. The news release did not explain how the operation worked, but in previous stings, authorities have advertised for bids on construction work, posing as property owners. When contractors showed up to look at the job, their contractor licenses and workers’ comp were checked – and found to be lacking.
“Workers’ compensation fraud places employees, customers, and businesses at unnecessary risk. Fraud also affects everyone’s rates and increases costs,” said Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis, whose office’s Division of Investigative and Forensic Services participated in the operation.
The National Insurance Crime Bureau also was involved.
The sting operations are conducted every few months and appear to be done most often in southwest Florida. The CFO statement did not indicate why these arrests were not announced sooner.
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