According to an article on Philly.com, 59-year-old postal worker, Robert McGeehan of Lower Township, NJ, has been indicted late last month by a state grand jury on charges of theft by deception and insurance fraud, after photos discovered on Facebook showed him zip lining while on vacation. McGeehan fraudulently collected $75,000 in workers’ compensation benefits between July 2015 and June 2017.
In 2008, McGeehan injured his right wrist from a slip and fall on ice while on the job. He then had arthroscopic wrist surgery for that injury in September of that year, and although it was concluded through medical assessments in 2009, 2010, and 2012 that he was able to return to light duty, McGeehan disputed the claims, submitted reports from his own private physician, and refused several jobs from the Postal Service that were less physically demanding, according to prosecutors.
And then comes good ol’ Facebook. Fast forward to when prosecutors allege that McGeehan has been falsely claiming injury to his right wrist; July 2015. McGeehan continued to claim that he was unfit to work due to the 2008 injury, and then posted photos on Facebook depicting him zip lining while on vacation. The waiver that requires the participant’s signature includes activities such as, “zip lines, rope swings, cargo net traverses, mechanical rappels, and climbing,” and also reads that the aforementioned activities “are designed for use by participants of average mobility and strength who are in reasonably good health. … arthritis, tendinitis, and other joint and musculoskeletal problems may all impair the safety and well-being of participants.” Two days after McGeehan signed the waiver, photos of McGeehan repelling and zip lining during the excursion were posted to Facebook.
Furthermore, in June and July of 2016, McGeehan was recorded outside of his home doing physically demanding yard work to include yielding a chain saw and hand saw, and picking up and throwing large logs according to the statement made by the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino stated, “This defendant claims he is physically unfit to return to work, even on light duty, but he’s allegedly out there engaging in strenuous physical activities, including outdoor recreation. Workers’ compensation is meant to provide financial assistance to those who are legitimately unable to work, not provide able-bodied employees with paid time off to enjoy themselves.”