BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Erie County District Attorney's Office announced Monday that a former NFTA employee plead guilty to one count of grand larceny.
According to the news release, Antoinette Laney, 53, of Kenmore pleaded guilty after claiming that she was unable to perform work as a bus driver while employed by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.
Laney fraudulently obtained $30,212.69 in pay between September 2018 and February 2020 through workers’ compensation benefits by misrepresenting the nature and extent of her injuries.
She originally claimed that she was unable to work due to a right knee injury, but later amended the claim to a lower back and left knee injury.
According to the news release, the investigation also revealed that Laney performed work through Instacart and eBay while continuing to collect money through workers’ compensation.
“Workers’ Compensation benefits provide a vital safety net for New Yorkers who are legitimately injured on the job,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “My office will remain focused on rooting out fraud such as this to make sure that the system works for those workers and their families who truly need it.”
As part of her guilty plea, the DA's office said Laney signed a Confession of Judgment to pay full restitution to the NFTA.
Laney faces a maximum of four years in prison when she is sentenced on Monday, Dec. 19, 2022.
“I want the residents of Erie County to know that lying to collect workers’ compensation or other labor-related benefits is a crime and you will be required to pay back any illegally obtained funds. Thank you to the Inspector General’s Office for their work in this investigation,” said Erie County DA John Flynn.
Laney was released on her own recognizance as the charge is a non-qualifying offense for bail.
