Serah Kamau, a 52-year-old Kenyan woman, has been charged with first-degree theft for allegedly defrauding the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).
According to the charge sheets, in June 2021, Serah filed a claim for a shoulder injury which she sustained while working as a licensed practical nurse at Eastern State Hospital.
Further, her physician certified that the injury was severe enough to prevent her from working, qualifying her for wage-replacement benefits from L&I amounting to over Ksh7.8 million (60,000).
However, when she was asked to go back to work to perform light duty, she refused saying that she could not drive a manual vehicle.
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The officials noted that the report given by Serah was a red flag prompting further investigations into the matter.
Further investigations into her case revealed that she had been actively managing and operating Brookhouse Adult Family Home for 15 months.
Also, the charge sheet indicated Sarah was running the activities of the home, including providing 24-hour care for clients with dementia and mental disabilities, alone with no additional staff. Yet she claimed to be too injured to work for her employer.
Additionally, records from the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) showed that Kamau had entered into contracts to provide these services and had billed for in-home care during the same period she was receiving wage-replacement benefits.
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Way Forward for Serah Kamau
Consequently, Serah has already repaid Ksh9 million ($68,878) for the wrongly obtained benefits and has faced a penalty of Ksh4.5 million ($34,439) under an earlier administrative order, bringing the total repayment to over Ksh13. 1 million ($100,000).
Her trial is slated to commence on September 23, 2024.
“Individuals receiving benefits have a legal obligation to disclose any work they are performing,” Monahan stated. “Fraudulent claims not only undermine the system but also divert resources away from those who genuinely need assistance,” the Washington State Office of the Attorney General Celeste Monahan said.
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