Ex-S. Tahoe post office worker going to prison
Mark E. Leung, 60, of South Lake Tahoe, was sentenced today to one year in prison and ordered to pay $160,000 in restitution for making a false statement to obtain workers’ compensation benefits
According to court documents, Leung worked for the U.S. Postal Service until 1987 when he claimed he sustained a work-related injury. Leung never returned to full-time employment with the Postal Service and began receiving workers’ compensation benefits in 1987.
From September 2007 through November 2012, Leung received approximately $160,000 in benefits from the Department of Labor. To obtain the benefits, Leung submitted an annual certification form and also had his medical providers attest that he could not perform any work due to the pain that limited his mobility and range of movement.
While claiming he was totally disabled from employment, Leung maintained a yearly ski pass in Tahoe; skiing at least 40 days per ski season, according to U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner. Wagner also said Leung was observed performing arduous physical labor on numerous days.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
At least he spent the money locally.
On the other hand, I wonder who the “medical providers” were who were annually endorsing this scheme?
I KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO DID THAT. WISH SHE’D GET CAUGHT.
So,he has to repay the $160K he received from 2007 to 2012. What about the workers comp he received from 1987 to 2007? That’s 20 years!!!! How much was that?? I’m sure he got a lot of ski days in over that time as well.
They who ever , Should do this to all the people who are on disabilty ,and there not disabled , I have seen a lot of folks say they are , and they go skiing .
There are many different ways a person can be disabled. Not all are easily recognizable. Not all are physical. Everybody deserves to have and enjoy good days. Even someone that may not “look” disabled. But is.
Observer, I fully agree with you. I have a number of “disabled” friends and I recognize, particularly in the current political climate that’s been more than reinforced this evening, they are often chased down and persecuted, if not prosecuted, unjustly.
Yet abuses occur, and when they do they simply provide ammunition for the narrow minded and selfish. This one seems particularly egregious and seems to be the kind of case that simply provides solace for the folks at the top of the economy who feel that everyone’s out to get their money, and the folks at the bottom who might find gimmicking the system preferable to actually participating in it.
I agree with Copper but also know 3 So Lake Tahoe Firemen and 3 police officers that are on disability that are in no way disabled and do activities that no one that were disabled could do, but also know others that are truly disabled and need the benefit.
Those that are screwing the system will be caught some day.
What I love to see is the handicap parking at Heavenly. They pull up in their SUVs with their blue placards, unload their skis and hit the mountain. Tell me how that happens?