A Walnutport man has been charged with insurance fraud after police said he received nearly $200,000 in workers’ compensation wages and medical treatment.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by police officer Barry McCooley with the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the Insurance Fraud Task Force:

McCooley received a referral of a possible workers’ compensation fraud involving Dennis Silfies, 66, and Inservco Insurance.

Silfies was employed as an over-the-road truck driver by Penn Truck Leasing located at 1449 Nor-Bath Boulevard, Route 329, Northampton.

On April 28, 2015, Silfies reported to his employer, Penn Truck Leasing, that he had been injured while performing his job. The injury placed Silfies out of work.

Beginning on April 29, 2014, Silfies began to receive total disability benefits with a biweekly payment of $1,864 from Inservco Insurance under a claim, and also received medical treatments paid by Inservco.

On March 3, 2015, Silfies reported to Penn Truck Leasing’s Safety and Compliance Director, stating, “I can never drive a commercial vehicle again.”

However, according to Edward Yesik, President of Yesik Trucking, Silfies was employed as a driver with Yesik Trucking from March through June 2015, and earned $20,273.

Yesik stated that Silfies also worked sporadically from Nov. 4, 2016, to Sept. 10, 2017, and that he worked without medical restraints.

Silfies failed to report this to his previous employer, Penn Truck Leasing.

McCooley interviewed Dr. George Chovanes, a board certified neurosurgeon, who performed an independent medical exam on Silfies on April 13, 2015, who said his restrictions for Silfies were based on subjective complaints of pain made by Silfies.

Had Silfies told Chovanes that he began working for Yesik Trucking on or about March 13, 2015, as a truck driver doing the same (or more strenuous work), Chovanes would have released Silfies to perform his job as a truck driver.

According to Inservco Insurance records, Silfies was paid from March 10, 2015, through Oct. 31, 2017, $125,279 in workers’ compensation wages.

Also according to Inservco Insurance records, Silfies received $62,899 in medical treatment from March 9, 2015, through Nov. 6, 2017.

Silfies faces charges of insurance fraud, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property.

He is currently incarcerated in Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 unsecured bail, and scheduled to have a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. April 8 before District Judge Robert A. Hawke of Walnutport.