Three Wayne County employees have been charged in a time fraud scheme for allegedly working a different job while they were supposed to be working for the county.
According to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, the county received a tip that employees in the bridge department were working different jobs. In April 2022, the prosecutor began an investigation.
Investigators say Scott Van Peeren, 54, of Wyandotte, John Everhart, 50, of Farmington Hills, and Justin Whorton, 40, of Detroit, were working for the bridge department.
On Dec. 5, 2021, investigators say the three worked at a private business, Romulus Nutrition, and falsified their time sheets. They each received payment from the county for the work, and they also found that while working at Romulus Nutrition, they were using Wayne County equipment and materials.
All three were charged with one count of larceny – $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, and one count of conspiracy to commit larceny – $1,000 or more but less than $20,000. Both counts are felonies.
The county said all three employees were suspended from their position on Tuesday.
“We continue our commitment to hold employees accountable who misuse Wayne County taxpayer dollars. The employees charged today showed a blatant lack of integrity and respect for the residents that we serve,” said Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans. “My office will continue to collaborate with Prosecutor Worthy and local and state officials to ensure that everyone involved in this egregious operation is prosecuted.”
“We have been charging and holding defendants accountable for their unscrupulous criminal behavior for almost two decades. It amazes me that despite this, corruption continues because corrupters think they will never be held to account,” said Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “In this case, these three defendants allegedly knowingly accepted money from the County in the form of wages that they did not deserve. There is nothing right about this.”
