A stenographer in New York state has allegedly been adding zeros to billing invoices to insurance carrier clients over the past few years. She was recently arrested for extensive overbilling.

Laura Hayes worked as a court stenographer for Oswego County. New York State Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro announced her arrest and arraignment on the charge of Grand Larceny in the 2^nd degree (C Felony) in Oswego County Court.

Hayes owns and operates Quality Court Reporting, a stenographic service in Central New York. Court reporting fees are paid by the carrier in workers’ compensation proceedings. The Workers’ Compensation Fraud Inspector General received multiple complaints from insurance carriers alleging that she was overbilling for services provided.

The Inspector General’s investigation found that Hayes would regularly submit bills to the carriers for services for approximately 10-times the appropriate value by adding a zero at the end of her invoice ($150 would become $1,500, for example).

In total she overbilled four insurance carriers for $187,700.

“This alleged scheme to steal from the workers’ compensation system was brazen in its simplicity – but nonetheless grossly illegal,” said Inspector General Tagliafierro. “By simply adding zeros to invoices, this individual was paid money she didn’t earn.”

She is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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