The bright lights of TV proved too attractive to an interior designer who was on workers’ comp.
When an employee with the insurance company making the disability payments saw the designer on a TV show, he alerted the California Department of Insurance.
Now Ronald Hunt of Sunland, CA, will pay $151,700 in restitution and $31,000 in back taxes. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of state income tax fraud and one felony count of insurance fraud. He was also sentenced to 200 hours of community service.
Hunt continued working as an interior designer from 2003 to 2006, including an appearance on an HGTV home improvement show.
While collecting the disability payments, Hunt made more than $400,500 in income.