A 50-year-old Ghanaian national living in the United States, Betty Boateng, has received a 12-month suspended sentence from an Ohio court after pleading guilty to defrauding the state’s workers’ compensation system of more than $53,000.
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The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) announced the outcome in a statement on October 9, 2026. Boateng, who lives in Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of workers’ compensation fraud, a fifth-degree felony.
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What investigators found
The BWC’s Special Investigations Department found that Boateng collected disability benefits while working for two employers that provided non-medical in-home care services. Investigators said she knowingly returned to work during periods when she was receiving benefits she was not entitled to.
She earned wages while the disability payments continued, which led to improper payments totalling $53,278.40.
Sentence and repayment
On September 23, 2026, a judge at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas accepted her guilty plea. Boateng was sentenced to 12 months, suspended, and placed under community control for 60 months.
She was also ordered to meet mandatory reporting requirements and to repay the full $53,278.40 to the BWC. The court waived fines but imposed court costs.
BWC: fraud hurts honest workers
BWC Administrator Stephanie McCloud said the agency is committed to preventing fraud and protecting money meant for eligible workers. “Fraud against the workers’ compensation system hurts honest Ohio workers and employers,” she said. “We are committed to holding accountable those who abuse the system and ensuring that funds remain available for individuals truly in need.”
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