New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott today announced the arrest of a City of Rochester woman on charges she stole $2,400 in Workers’ Compensation benefits by forging her deceased mother’s signature on benefit checks and kept the money for herself.
Devon Lloyd-Fountain, 45, of Jefferson Avenue, Rochester, was arraigned today in Rochester City Court on charges of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree and eight counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, all felonies.
An investigation by Inspector General Leahy Scott found that Lloyd-Fountain cashed eight Workers’ Compensation benefit checks mailed to her mother, after her mother passed away on December 26, 2015. Lloyd-Fountain forged her mother’s signature, deposited the checks into relatives’ bank accounts and then withdrew the money from each deposit. Worker’s Compensation benefits cease upon the death of a recipient.
In total, Lloyd-Fountain defrauded the Workers’ Compensation system by stealing $2,400 in benefits to which she was not entitled.
“This fraud enriched the defendant with financial benefits to which she was not entitled,” said Inspector General Leahy Scott. “I will continue to use my office to protect benefits meant to assist honest, hard-working New Yorkers.”
Following arraignment this morning, Lloyd-Fountain was released on her own recognizance to reappear in court June 14, 2018.
Inspector General Leahy Scott thanked the Special Funds Conservation Committee for their assistance with the investigation, the New York State Police for their assistance with the arrest, and Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley and her office for prosecuting this matter.
The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
