Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Six more Carpenters union members accused of bilking healthcare fund

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Six more members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters have been charged in connection with a scheme to steal assets from the union’s healthcare benefit program, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana said.

Charged with one count each of healthcare theft were the following:

* Aaron Merkel, 36, of Valparaiso.

* Brian Ellis, 46, of Hobart.

* Daniel Rehfeldt, 49, also of Hobart.

* Ryan Cundiff, 40, of Crown Point.

* Christopher LeBell, 36, of Cedar Lake.

* Eric Murray, 37, of Williamsburg, Ohio.

According to the documents filed in this case, these six and five other members of the Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters requested reimbursement of medical expenses by submitting to the union’s welfare fund a fraudulent claim form and a copy of an un-negotiated personal check for reimbursement.

“These documents gave the appearance that the defendants had paid a reimbursable health care expense,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. “Claims were processed from the union welfare fund reimbursing the defendants for these health care expenses that were never actually incurred.”

Previously charged with the same count are Bradley Crostreet, 45, of Valparaiso; Aaron Vaughan, 35, of Lake Station; Robert Gutierrez, 38, of Hammond; and Dennis Gardner, 52, and Joshua Westfall, 38, both of LaPorte.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not say how much the six most recently charged members are alleged to have stolen from the welfare fund but the previously charged five are accused of improperly receiving reimbursement in amounts ranging from $6,380 to $19,771.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and the Employee Benefits Security Administration.

 

 

Posted 8/31/2016

 
 
 
 

 

 

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