INDIANAPOLIS — A Warsaw man was ordered to repay more than $30,000 to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development earlier this month.

Leroy Konkle, 67, pleaded guilty to unemployment insurance fraud in Kosciusko County Superior Court 1 on Jan. 4 and was sentenced to four years of probation.

Leroy Konkle

Through the use of agency records, a DWD employee began an investigation and determined that Konkle was working and receiving wages while claiming unemployment insurance benefits.

On July 16, Konkle was ordered to repay the agency $31,451 for the benefits he fraudulently collected.

DWD receives wage reports and new hire data from Hoosier employers documenting who is employed and receiving compensation. The agency uses this information to ensure people are not collecting unemployment insurance benefits while working.

Since 2013, Indiana courts have ordered fraudsters to repay millions in restitution to the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. “Combatting fraud preserves employer-paid monies in the trust fund for those individuals whom are truly in need of unemployment insurance benefits,” said Regina Ashley, DWD, Chief Unemployment Insurance and Workforce Solutions Officer.