Former Utica Chiropractor Charged With Worker’s Comp Fraud

A former Utica chiropractor has been accused of faking exams and reports to facilitate fraudulent Worker's Compensation claims by employees of the Central New York Psychiatric Center.

47-year old Eric Szatko of Sauquoit was charged on Wednesday with grand larceny, four counts of offering a false instrument for filing and three counts of the Worker's Compensation crime of fraudulent practices.

The State Inspector General's Office says the charges against Szatko all relate to incidents that happened in 2016 involving three psychiatric center employees.

Investigators say as a result, the employees all received paid time off they were not entitled to.

In one instance, Szatko allegedly submitted a medical excuse for Ryan Haley, a former employee who worked at the facility at that time, to be out of work with pay for two days in February and between March 31 and April 15, 2016 when no exam was performed.

Haley was not injured at the time and used the paid time off for a kayaking excursion in Puerto Rico and a trip to California with his girlfriend.

Haley was separately prosecuted for Workers’ Compensation fraud and pleaded guilty, paid restitution and resigned from State service last  March.

The Inspector General's investigation is continuing.

Szatko was arraigned in Utica City Court and released on his own recognizance. He'll be back in court on July 14th.