A Culpeper, Virginia preacher will be singing out of a different hymnal as a result of pleading guilty to fraudulent workers’ compensation claims and Virginia state income tax evasion.

The Virginia State Police Insurance Fraud Program received information that Charles V. Shifflett, a Culpeper preacher, was receiving workers’ compensation benefits while he was also receiving two paychecks in the amount of $700.

When VSP Special Agent Dennis Dodson began working this case, he quickly found there was more to it than just the preacher receiving a few extra bucks. His investigation revealed these claims reached back to November 2000 and involved two separate workers’ comp claims with two different insurance companies.

Not only was workers’ comp involved, but there were also discrepancies in how Shifflett and his wife, Janice Shifflet, reported their income to the Virginia Department of Taxation. Joint investigation with the VSP and the Deptartment of Taxation uncovered the fact the Shifflets were manipulating the church pay roll, workers’ comp and their tax returns to benefit them financially. Shifflett received more than $27,000 in fraudulent workers’ comp benefits over a six-year period.

Culpeper County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Dale Durrer was able to charge Shifflet with 50 felony counts and one misdemeanor of obtaining money by false pretenses, grand larceny of checks, making materially false statements on a Virginia Income Tax Return and making materially false statements in connection with a workers’ compensation award.

As a result of a plea agreement, Shifflett pleaded guilty to three felonies for filing false information with the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission; two felonies for obtaining money by false pretenses from Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company; three felonies for obtaining money by false pretenses from Church Mutual Insurance Company; nine felonies involving obtaining money by false pretenses from Calvary Baptist Church, where he was a minister; and three felonies and one misdemeanor of making materially false statements on a Virginia tax return.

Also, as part of the plea agreement, the charges against his wife, Janice Shifflet, were dismissed. Shifflett’s bond was revoked and he will remain in jail until sentencing on October 8. Restitution, if any, will be set at that time.

The VSP is committed to “Stamp Out” insurance fraud occurring in the Commonwealth. If you have knowledge of a fraudulent insurance scheme or suspect you may have been the victim of insurance fraud, report the activity to Virginia State Police Insurance Fraud Program on the insurance fraud hotline at 1-877-623-7283 or online. Having a sharp eye for fraud may also lead to a reward of up to $25,000.