Univ. of Central Okla. Insurance Coordinator Charged with Comp Fraud

The University of Central Oklahoma’s (UCO) Risk and Insurance Coordinator was charged in Oklahoma County District Court with five felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud, the state attorney general’s office announced. George Tetteh was arrested by campus police after an investigation by Attorney General Drew Edmondson’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit.

Tetteh, 61, was employed by UCO as a workers’ compensation coordinator when he reportedly injured his right and left hands in March 2003. The state’s complaint alleges Tetteh fraudulently obtained workers’ compensation payments from the university’s insurance carrier while he worked and took leave to concurrently receive a full paycheck for his employment at the school.

“Oklahoma workers’ compensation laws state that individuals can receive temporary total disability payments for work-related injuries, or they can receive their full paycheck,” Edmondson said. “Mr. Tetteh attempted to receive both. We allege he illegally took in $5,494.93.”

Tetteh was promoted to Risk and Insurance Coordinator for UCO in 2004.

He was also charged today with one count of perjury for allegedly lying under oath during a deposition about the length of time he did not work at the university following surgeries he had for his injuries.

Edmondson’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit has statewide jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute workers’ compensation fraud. Anyone with information regarding workers’ compensation fraud can call the attorney general’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud hotline toll-free at (877) 800-8764.

Source: Oklahoma AG’s office