Attorney General's News Release

April 7, 1995

Woman who faked robbery scheduled to be arraigned on related workers' comp fraud charge

Jefferson City, Mo. — A Mountain Grove woman who admitted faking a robbery at the convenience store where she worked now faces a criminal charge of workers' comp fraud by Attorney General Jay Nixon. Elsie Page, 42, will be arraigned at 9 a.m. on April 12 in Wright County Circuit Court on a charge that she fraudulently obtained workers' compensation benefits after the hoax.

“Obtaining workers' comp under false pretenses takes money out of the pockets of the honest employers and workers of this state,” Nixon said. “We will aggressively prosecute these types of cases to show that you can't get easy money by trying to defraud the system.”

On April 18, 1994, Page and a co-worker staged a fake robbery at the Casey's General Store in Mountain Grove. In her claim for workers' compensation benefits, Page said she fainted and hit her head while on the telephone telling her employer about the “robbery.” She received approximately $2,000 in workers' compensation benefits as the result of her claim.

Last June, Page admitted the robbery was a hoax and pleaded guilty in September to felony stealing charge. She received a suspended five-year sentence and was ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and pay restitution of $764.22. Since September, Page has paid restitution of $25. She was not, however, required to repay the workers' comp benefits.

Workers' comp fraud is punishable by up to one year in jail and a minimum fine of $10,000. The charge against Page is merely an accusation and she is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818