Washington Repair Shop Workers Accused of Fraud

July 22, 2021—A couple in Vancouver, Wash., has been charged with theft of more than $180,000 in worker compensation benefits from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, The Columbian reported. 

Jeffrey Bart Pierson and Karen S. Pierson are accused of collecting benefits over the course of more than two years. 

Both worked at My Dad’s Automotive & Exhaust, an auto repair shop owned by their son, and allegedly stated they could not work due to injuries suffered on the job, but they were recorded still working on video collected by department investigators.  

An investigation began after the department received an anonymous tip that Jeffrey Pierson had allegedly returned to work despite still drawing time-loss benefits.