WA Adult Family Home Supervisor Charged in $60K Fraud Case

Washington State Labor and Industries reports a felony charge has been filed against the operator of a Spokane Adult Family home for fraud.

 Trial date set for September

52-year-old Serah Kamau pleaded not guilty in Spokane County Superior Court on fraud charges. According  to L&I, Kamau fraudulently received workman's comp money claiming she could not work due to injuries, but she still operated her  home.

L&I reports:

"Charging papers allege Kamau stole more than $60,000 in wage-replacement payments from the state fund that supports Washingtonians who really are too injured to work.

Kamau operated her business, Brookhouse Adult Family Home, for 15 months in 2021 and 2022 while still collecting wage-replacement benefits from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I)."

 Kamau reportedly injured her shoulder working at Eastern State Hospital in 2021. She went on workman's comp in June of that year.

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  L&I officials began to investigate her after she took a light-duty job at Eastern State, despite still insisting she couldn't drive her car because it had a manual transmission.

  Then officials discovered that while she was still receiving benefits, she was operating Brookhouse Adult Family Home. She no longer works for Eastern State, but still has a DSHS permit to provide services at  Brookhouse. However,  the L&I investigation may trigger a suspension of  that license.