NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carrier made her initial court appearance today for making false statements to obtain federal workers’ compensation benefits, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig announced.
Monique Gee, 38, of Hillside, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of knowingly and willfully falsifying, concealing, and covering up a material fact, and making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation in connection with the application for and receipt of federal workers’ compensation benefits. Gee made her initial appearance today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leda Dunn Wettre, and was released on $150,000 unsecured bond.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Gee worked as a mail carrier for the USPS in Middletown, New Jersey. On June 1, 2016, Gee signed and certified a form in which she alleged she sustained a knee sprain while performing her duties on that date. On subsequent forms, Gee certified that she did not receive earnings from employment outside of her federal job. However, an investigation revealed that Gee operated a business from which she received substantial income. During the investigation, an undercover law enforcement officer placed an order from Gee’s business and made a payment for the order to Gee via a mobile payment platform. As a result of her false representations, Gee received more than $150,000 in federal workers’ compensation benefits to which she was not entitled.
The count of making false statements to obtain federal workers’ compensation benefits carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited members of the USPS Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Pesce of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s OCDETF/Narcotics Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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