Three in Miami Charged with Workers’ Comp Payroll Fraud

Three Miami-area construction labor suppliers have been charged with underreporting payroll and shorting their workers’ compensation insurers more than $220,000 in premiums.

Juana Ledezma and Luis Ledezma, associated with Superior Group Management Inc., were arrested in mid-January after an investigation by the Florida Department of Financial Services’ investigative division, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said in a statement.

On Jan. 23, Angel Santos Tzunun, owner of Angel ME Construction Corp., was arrested on similar charges.

Tzunun reported an annual payroll of about $170,000. His firm’s had actually collected more than $2 million from contractors for the labor services in 2021 and 2022, the investigation found, Patronis said. That reportedly cut Florida Citrus Business and Industries Fund out of some $111,000 in premiums.

The Ledezmas also schemed in 2020 to deceive Clear Spring Insurance Co., noting that payments for labor services were underreported by about $2.1 million.

All three were booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail. If convicted of the fraud and theft charges, each could face years in prison, Patronis’ office said.

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Topics Florida Fraud Workers' Compensation Numbers