A Chemung County man who hurt one eye on the job and later claimed it was the other eye is now staring at answering workers' compensation fraud charges for allegedly gaining benefits illegally.

Clyde Stroman, 53, of Elmira, New York faces felony charges including falsifying business records and violating the Workers' Compensation Law, following his arrest by the Elmira Police Department on January 8.

Investigators from the New York State Insurance Fund Division of Confidential Investigations said Mr. Stroman received workers' compensation benefits for an injury to his right eye in August 2008 when he attempted to restrain a client while working as a division youth aide at the MacCormick Secure Center, a New York State Office of Children and Family Services facility in Brooktondale, New York.

During a subsequent eye examination, however, Mr. Stroman learned he may have unrelated damage to his other eye, according to investigators, after which he allegedly tried to change the injured body part on his claim to his left eye in an attempt to gain workers' compensation coverage. Investigators said the injury to Stroman's right eye most likely would not have resulted in any lost time from work. According to investigators, Stroman allegedly attempted to convince NYSIF and his employer that the initial treating physician's reports identified the wrong eye as being injured and gave a detailed sworn written statement to that effect. As a result, Mr. Stroman received $2,860 to which he was not entitled. Investigators estimated the potential future savings on his claim to be more than $118,000.

NYSIF DCI conducted the investigation in cooperation with the New York State Insurance Department Frauds Bureau, the Workers' Compensation Board Fraud Inspector General and the Elmira Police Department.

Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations only. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.