FRESNO, Calif. — An investigation into the death of a California truck driver who was found dead in a company-owned rig has led to three felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud against the trucking firm’s owner.
According to the California Department of Insurance (CDI), a Central Valley Workers’ Compensation Fraud Task Force investigation discovered Heigo Kubar allegedly underreported more than $2 million in payroll to illegally save on workers’ compensation insurance for his trucking company, TKJ Trucking.
“Following an unfortunate incident where a TKJ Trucking employee was found deceased in company owned semi-truck, Kubar’s insurance company became suspicious and began an investigation,” a CDI news release states. “The insurance company found that leading up to the death of this employee, Kubar had classified the employee as a company salesperson, not a truck driver. Twenty-five days after the death, TKJ Trucking amended the employee’s job classification to truck driver.”
The investigation, led by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, found the deceased employee had been working for TKJ Trucking as a truck driver for approximately 15 years. At the time of their death, the cost to insure a sales person was approximately $1 for every $100 in payroll, but the cost to insure a truck driver was approximately $20 for every $100 in payroll.
A CDI audit, as part of the task force investigation, revealed that between Dec. 1, 2018 to Dec. 1, 2021, TKJ Trucking had workers’ compensation insurance coverage and reported $875,591 in employee payroll; however, the company actually had $3,233,899 in payroll.
Kubar underreported payroll by $2,358,307, resulting in insurance premiums of $480,093 owed to Kubar’s insurance company, according to CDI documents.
This case is being prosecuted by the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Kubar is scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 14.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
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