Former Postal Worker Accused of Worker’s Comp. Fraud

A former employee of the U.S. Postal Service in Broome County is to serve three years on probation for getting federal workers compensation payments while cooking up cookies and cakes in her own business.

Federal prosecutors say 61-year-old Christine O’Neill of Johnson City's worker's compensation fraud crumbled when officials found she was peddling cookies and cakes when she was supposed to be unable to work due to a back injury.

Prosecutors say O’Neill falsely represented that she wasn’t employed, self-employed or involved in any business enterprise between 2015 and 2016 while collecting workers’ comp. payments of $46 287 for being unable to perform any work functions with the Postal Service. Instead, federal investigators say O'Neill was operating her own business, Chris' Cakes an Cookies, preparing and delivering goodies to customers during the time she was collecting benefits.

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Investigators say they video taped O’Neill selling sweet treats at a local craft fair and even bought some Chris' Cakes and Cookies while O'Neill provided the undercover agent with a business card..