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Florida's attorney general's office charges seven people with running a workers' comp fraud scheme.
James Uthmeier says the suspects used shell construction companies that obtained workers' compensation policies by underreporting the number of employees and the amount of payroll.
The AG says they then "rented" certificates of insurance to uninsured subcontractors for a fee.
Investigators say the same network processed and cashed contractors’ payroll checks through an unlicensed money-service business, with cash distributed directly to some workers. Nearly $100 million was allegedly processed and investigators seized more than $2.4 million in connection with the case.
Most of the suspects are from Palm Beach County, while three are from Deerfield Beach, Ocala and Port St. Lucie.
The defendants are:
- Marlen Suazo Gutierrez of West Palm Beach
- Gustavo Lara Suazo of Lake Worth
- Eduardo Blandon Martinez of West Palm Beach
- Alejandra Lagos Matute of Lake Worth
- Erick Blandon of Port St. Lucie
- Blanca Ramirez Farina of Deerfield Beach
- Eduardo Olivera Leal of Ocala