Twenty individuals were arrested in Florida in a workers’ compensation insurance fraud sting operation involving unlicensed contractors in Pasco County in “Operation Hot Water,” according to a statement from Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis on Sept. 27.
The arrests came after a joint sting operation conducted by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PSO) and the Bureau of Insurance Fraud, along with the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and the Pasco County Building Department. Investigators caught contractors agreeing to perform work without a license and without workers’ compensation insurance coverage. The 20 individuals were arrested for allegedly contracting without a license and failure to secure workers’ compensation insurance coverage.