San Francisco, CA – District Attorney George Gascón announced that former United States Postal employee Tiong C. Ong, age 51, formerly of Saratoga, California, was sentenced to a felony violation of filing a false insurance claim and ordered to pay $157,173 in restitution to the United States Department of Labor.
“Public sector employees are expected to conduct themselves ethically and responsibly. The public money recovered in this case is welcome news, especially in these tough economic times,” said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón. “Thanks to the thorough investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General of the United States Postal Service, the defendant’s days of committing fraud are over.”“The American public expects postal employees to be diligent and honest. Through its investigations, the Office of Inspector General helps ensure that integrity. When US Postal employees’ actions turn to criminal violations, such as the abuse of the workers’ compensation program, those individuals are aggressively investigated by USPS OIG Special Agents,” said Scott Pierce, Special Agent in Charge, US Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
The following facts have been taken from filed court documents:
The defendant began working at the US Postal Service as a tractor trailer operator in 1993. He injured his back and sciatica nerve while working and began receiving monthly disability payments in 2000. Throughout the entire time he received benefits, he allegedly submitted annual written statements certifying that he had not worked for any employer, had not been self-employed, and had not been involved in any business enterprise in the previous 15 months.
From January 2002 – June 2003, the defendant was employed as a general manager of a Domino’s Pizza Store in Sunnyvale, CA. In June of 2003, he acquired a 51% interest in the corporation that owned the franchise of the Domino’s Pizza Store in Sunnyvale, CA. He was seen thereafter allegedly acting as a delivery driver, order taker, and pizza maker.
The defendant’s corporation sold the Sunnyvale franchise in approximately October of 2008. A few months later, in February of 2009, he allegedly formed a new corporation in Hawaii. Approximately one month later in March 2009, the new corporation entered into an agreement to buy a second Domino’s Pizza Store in Honolulu Hawaii. He was observed in Hawaii opening and closing the store, talking on the phone, and delivering pizzas.
The case came to light in January 2010, when a United States Postal Service human resources employee noticed that every time he visited the defendant’s home, he wasn’t there. This raised suspicions and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General initiated an investigation and learned about the defendant’s employment by, and subsequent ownership interests in, the Domino’s Pizza stores.
The defendant was arraigned on December 6, 2010 on nineteen felony charges, including:
one count each of grand theft and filing a false insurance claim, eight counts of preparing a writing in support of a false insurance claim, and ten counts concealing or failing to disclose an event affecting the right to insurance benefits. On March 12, 2013, the defendant pled guilty to one felony violation of filing a false insurance claim. He was sentenced yesterday by Honorable Samuel Feng to pay $157,173.12 in restitution to the US Department of Labor, probation for 5 years, 310 hours community service and 90 days in the county jail. At the sentencing, the Defendant paid $150,000 towards the restitution order.
The conviction is the result of a one-year investigation by the US Postal Service, Office of Inspector General and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. Assistant District Attorney Laura Meyers prosecuted the case.
Workers comp fraud is upsetting because there are people who are really hurt that need the help and have to wait to get it or may never wind up getting it.
I investigated WC fraud for years at the PO. The laws favor the criminals. At least 60% – 70% of WC claims are fraudulent and 45% – 50% began that way. Those with a real injury are penalized due to the majority of cases being fraudulent. These criminals are effecting every employee and most cannot see it. Thankfully, I was able to retire at 55 over 10 years ago and leave the scum behind.
.. soo from jan 2002 til 2010? eight years to ” come to light..”
it took 8 years of watching pizza and ??? trips to Hawaii to convince them of 19 felony charges.
Really?
Well said Scott…well said!
Two words SECOND OPINION
It is a bit ironic, isn’t it, when management goes after comp fraud so ferociously but sees nothing wrong with self congratulatory performance bonuses and huge raises, not to mention the untold amount of graft that slinks around under the table between L’ Infant Plaza, certain politicians and mailers.
However, we can’t let cheats like this off the hook either because they hurt other craft employees. Example: there are two people in my office who are first class workman’s comp frauds, one even admitting it twice to a letter carrier that there was never a damn thing wrong with her, that she faked bad neck and back symptoms just because she hated the PM and didn’t want to carry mail. They were forced into giving her a full time clerk assignment, and to my knowledge never sent investigators out to watch her. So here’s the rub: a woman who plainly is committing fraud and getting paid to stay at home while other workers in a lot worse condition than her show up every day and absorb her work too.
If your claim is honest, I have nothing but sympathy for you. Thousands of workers get injuries on and off the job that are genuine and severe. That is the cost of doing business. But regardless of whether you’re craft or management, right is right and wrong is wrong. It’s because most craft people are still honorable and have a sense of responsibility that the USPS can even function. They are the ones who have to do the extra work because the comp fraud’s position can’t be filled.
Yes, people like that are custom made for management, but in this woman’s case, she’s so unpopular and such a bitch on top of it that I’d hate taking orders from her. Shame on local management for letting her and others like her to get away with it.
why give him any punishment? when it was confirmed he was a liar, thief, and con man, he should immediately have been placed in postal management to fit right in with that culture. and they wouldn’t even have to pay to train him, as he has proven he has the
‘right stuff’ to begin immediately. please
reconsider judge!
This character is laughing at the judge’s sentence. He used the OWCP payments to continue funding his businesses. If he owns several of them now they should go back and get the businesses that were purchased with ill gotten money. Then see how he feels. The fine was a drop in the bucket for how much money he has made. Sounds like a banker.