“The president of a former Trenton construction company pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $450,000 by cheating its workers compensation carrier, failing to file tax returns and underreporting wages for his business and himself.
Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend Garcia-Merlos be sentenced to eight years in state prison. The state is also seeking $451,142 in restitution, the office said.
“By providing misinformation to his workers’ compensation carrier, he not only failed in this responsibility but also defrauded an insurance company out of hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi said in a statement.”