ALBANY, NY – New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang today announced the guilty plea of former New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) Correction Officer Jennifer Bardin-Lapan, who yesterday pled guilty in Washington County Court to one count of felony workers’ compensation fraud for falsifying claims of a workplace injury in order to collect tens of thousands of dollars in benefits. As part of her plea, Bardin-Lapan agreed to pay $40,000 in restitution and to permanently waive any future rights to benefits related to her workers’ compensation claim.

In November 2022, while employed at Great Meadow Correctional Facility, Bardin-Lapan claimed that she had suffered injuries to her back, knee, and groin during an incident with an incarcerated person. Following her claim, she provided multiple, contradictory descriptions of the alleged injury, all of which were ultimately determined by the Inspector General to be demonstrably false. Her claims, which were made to medical providers, independent medical examiners, and investigators, were directly refuted by two separate videos obtained by the Inspector General, which showed no fall, no trauma, and no contact consistent with the injuries she claimed. Bardin-Lapan collected $69,874.48 in workers’ compensation and contractual benefits before they were suspended as a result of the investigation.

“This case represented a serious breach of public trust and an intentional abuse of the workers’ compensation system,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “The evidence demonstrated beyond question that the defendant fabricated her injury claims, diverting resources intended for legitimately injured workers. I commend our investigative team and our partners in the Washington County District Attorney’s Office for bringing this matter to a just conclusion.”

Inspector General Lang thanked the members of her staff who contributed to the investigation, including Attorney-in-Charge for Workers’ Compensation Fraud Bryan Richmond and Investigative Auditor Brian Supple, along with all others whose efforts helped bring this case to a successful resolution.

The Offices of the New York State Inspector General: Fostering confidence in New York State government by promoting integrity and transparency through oversight of covered agencies, their employees, and those doing business with the State.

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