COLUMBUS— Deborah Belcher, 40, has been ordered to repay over $55,000 to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) after BWC Special Investigations found she was working while still collecting injured worker benefits.
BWC’s Special Investigations Department (SID) launched an investigation into Belcher after receiving an allegation that she was working while receiving BWC disability benefits.
The investigation confirmed that Belcher had returned to her job as a retail associate and cashier at several businesses in Chillicothe, Circleville, and Portsmouth.
On March 5, 2026, Belcher, a Chillicothe local, pleaded guilty to Workers’ Compensation Fraud, a fifth-degree felony.
Following the plea, the Franklin County judge ordered Belcher to 12 months suspended, 60 months community control, non-reporting, and to pay $55,354.79 in restitution to BWC.
SID is a criminal justice agency that actively tracks down and prosecutes workers’ compensation criminals and cheaters.
By combating these fraud schemes, SID continues to secure and uphold the State Insurance Fund and keep the money available to those who need it.
Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio, serving nearly 245,000 public and private employers.
With over 1,500 employees and assets of approximately $24 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States.