Man convicted of compensation fraud

Mohammad Naieem pleaded guilty in the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court on Thursday 6 May to a single charge of fraudulently obtaining payments.

He was fined $5,000 and also ordered to pay $1,000 in costs.

The court heard Naieem commenced receiving weekly compensation payments after he injured his back while working as a machinist at a furniture manufacturer in September 2017.

An investigation later found Naieem had earned more than $30,000 as a ride-share driver and a security guard until the fraud was uncovered in September 2018.

Naieem repeatedly failed to disclose the work and received $48,664 in compensation during that time.

WorkSafe's Insurance Business Unit Executive Director Roger Arnold said that this type of dishonesty undermines the integrity of the scheme.

"Weekly payments are there to help those Victorian workers who genuinely need care and support to recover from an injury and get back to work", Mr Arnold said.

"This prosecution should serve as a warning that those tempted to cheat the system for their own benefit will be caught and face serious consequences."