According to an article on www.buckslocalnews.com, 51-year-old Carl Wayne Stokes of Bridgeton Township, PA was charged last month with multiple counts of workers’ compensation fraud, theft and unsworn falsification in connection with fraudulently receiving workers’ compensation benefits due to an injury on the job at Bucks County Correctional Facility in 2015.
The articles states that, “On May 1, Stokes filed paperwork indicating his physical condition was unchanged and said a doctor recommended ‘permanent restrictions’ on his activity. He also reported that he had not been employed at any time since receiving the benefits.”
An investigation followed, which included scouring the social media accounts belonging to Stokes. Facebook posts beginning on January 10, 2018 indicated that Stokes has been offering guided fishing tours through Reel Adventures charter service along the Delaware River and his work as a fishing guide. Detectives then arranged a scheduled outing in June with Stokes. “Two undercover detectives went on the trip, during which Stokes moved about the boat without impediment, fished with the detectives and at some point leaned over the water from the boat to assist in retrieving the detectives’ lures,” according to the article. Discussions with the detectives on the trip also included that he was out of work and receiving workers’ compensation benefits and that he was booked throughout the summer with fishing trips.
When confronted with the evidence in July, Stokes stated that “he thought he was safe reporting he was not employed because he was not making money.” However, documentation shows that Stokes was paid $240 for the trip in total, with a $100 deposit by money order. That money order was in fact deposited into Stokes’ account.
What is more fascinating is that investigators determined a previous workers’ compensation claim of Stokes’ was suspended due to the discovery of Facebook posts showing him participating in activities that contradicted the claim. Some people never learn.
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