Former NFTA Bus Driver Pleads Guilty to Grand Larceny Charge for Workers' Compensation Fraud

Modified: September 26, 2022 4:26pm

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9/26/2022

Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 53-year-old Antoinette Laney of Kenmore pleaded guilty this morning before Erie County Court Judge Kenneth Case to one count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (Class “E” felony).

After claiming that she was unable to perform work as a bus driver while employed by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the defendant fraudulently obtained $30,212.69 in pay between September 2018 and February 2020 through workers’ compensation benefits by misrepresenting the nature and extent of her injuries. The defendant initially claimed that she was unable to work due to a right knee injury, but later amended the claim to a lower back and left knee injury. The investigation also revealed that the defendant performed work through Instacart and Ebay while continuing to collect money through workers’ compensation.  

As part of her guilty plea today, Laney signed a Confession of Judgment to pay full restitution to the NFTA.

Laney faces a maximum of 4 years in prison when she is sentenced on Monday, December 19, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. She was released on her own recognizance as the charge is a non-qualifying offense for bail.

“I want the residents of Erie County to know that lying to collect workers’ compensation or other labor-related benefits is a crime and you will be required to pay back any illegally obtained funds. Thank you to the Inspector General’s Office for their work in this investigation,” said Erie County DA John Flynn.

“Workers’ Compensation benefits provide a vital safety net for New Yorkers who are legitimately injured on the job,” said New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang. “My office will remain focused on rooting out fraud such as this to make sure that the system works for those workers and their families who truly need it.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robin J. Deubler of the Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Unit.