Deborah Belcher, 40, has been ordered to repay more than $55,000 to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) after BWC Special Investigations discovered she was working while receiving injured worker benefits.
The BWC’s Special Investigations Department (SID) initiated an investigation against Belcher after receiving allegations that she was working despite receiving disability benefits.
The investigation revealed that Belcher had resumed her work as a retail associate and cashier at multiple establishments in Chillicothe, Circleville, and Portsmouth.
On March 5, 2026, Belcher, a Chillicothe resident, pleaded guilty to workers’ compensation fraud, a fifth-degree felony.
Following the plea, the Franklin County judge sentenced Belcher to 12 months suspended, 60 months of community control, non-reporting, and $55,354.79 in compensation to BWC.
