71-year-old construction company owner arrested for workers’ compensation fraud

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A construction company owner has been arrested for allegedly concealing payroll information to avoid paying more than $95,000 in workers’ compensation premiums.

Everardo Borettini, 71, the owner of EFC Construction Corporation, was arrested on Sept. 24, the state’s chief financial officer Jimmy Patronis said.

He entered a “not guilty” plea to charges workers’ compensation fraud, organized scheme to defraud, first-degree grand theft and organized scheme to defraud over $50,000.on Sept. 28. His attorney Andy Rier was quoted by the Miami Herald on Sept. 30 as saying: “I look forward to a quick and favorable resolution for my client.”

State corporation records indicate EFC Construction Corporation is an inactive business that has been administratively dissolved for failing to file an annual report since 2018. The state records indicate the business was incorporated in 2016. The business is registered to a residential building in Weston, a master-planned suburban community in Broward County.

EFC Construction Corporation operated from an apartment at in Weston, FL, according to Florida State corporation filings

“Businesses having the appropriate coverage for their employees is extremely important and avoiding carrying adequate workers’ compensation insurance is a crime, placing injured workers at risk and ultimately inflating insurance rates for honest businesses,” Patronis said in a statement. “I appreciate the outstanding work of our dedicated insurance fraud detectives and urge anyone that suspects insurance fraud to report it to FraudFreeFlorida.com.”

An investigation by the Bureau of Investigative and Forensic Services, Division of Workers’ Compensation Fraud discovered Borettini allegedly concealed payroll information to avoid paying higher workers’ compensation premiums. The investigation revealed that EFC Construction Corporation allegedly conducted more than $1.5 million in payroll during the policy period but Borettini originally reported an annual estimated remuneration of $68,648 in payroll on their workers’ compensation insurance policy, effectively avoiding more than $95,000 in workers’ compensation premiums.

Everardo Borettini surrendered himself to CFO Patronis’ fraud detectives on Sept. 24 and was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami-Dade County. Borettini faces charges of workers’ compensation premium fraud, grand theft and organized scheme to defraud. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison. Individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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