Kenyan Woman Charged with Felony in $60,000 Worker's Compensation Scam in Spokane, Washington

Kenyan woman Serah Kamau, 52, faces a felony charge for allegedly defrauding the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) of over $60,000 in workers' compensation benefits.

On July 11, 2024, Kamau entered a plea of not guilty to one count of first-degree theft in Spokane County Superior Court, with her trial scheduled for September 23, 2024. The charges against Kamau stem from accusations that she fraudulently collected wage-replacement payments while continuing to run her business Brookhouse Adult Family Home. According to the charging documents, Kamau received these benefits from L&I, an organization that supports workers who are genuinely too injured to work.

Despite claiming she was unable to work due to a shoulder injury sustained while employed as a licensed practical nurse at Eastern State Hospital, investigators allege that Kamau continued to operate her business for 15 months between 2021 and 2022. L&I's investigation revealed that Kamau had been receiving wage-replacement payments since June 2021 following her injury claim. Her physician had certified that her injury was severe enough to prevent her from working. Suspicions arose when Kamau declined a light-duty position at the hospital, citing her inability to drive a manual transmission vehicle.

Further inquiry uncovered that Kamau was actively managing Brookhouse Adult Family Home, providing round-the-clock care for clients with dementia and mental disabilities. She had entered into contracts with the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to provide these services. Records indicated that she billed DSHS for in-home care services from late September 2021 through December 2022, while simultaneously receiving wage-replacement benefits. The investigation into Kamau's activities was initiated when an L&I claims manager requested a closer examination of her case. This involved checking records from multiple state departments which confirmed that Kamau was performing all the home-care work herself without employing additional staff.

In addition to the criminal charges, Kamau has already repaid L&I $68,878 for the wrongly obtained benefits along with a $34,439 penalty under an earlier administrative order. The Washington State Office of the Attorney General is prosecuting the case. Celeste Monahan, assistant director of L&I's Fraud Prevention & Labor Standards division, emphasizes the legal obligation of individuals receiving benefits to disclose any work they are performing. She notes that fraudulent claims not only undermine the system but also divert resources away from those who genuinely need assistance.