BSO Employee Faces Fraud, Official Misconduct Charges For Allegedly Faking Work Injury

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The Broward Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of one of their own on Thursday.

BSO said they arrested Jennifer Blum, 45, a veteran BSO communications employee on Wednesday.

Blum faces charges of workers' compensation fraud and official misconduct.

BSO said that Blum told her superiors that she suffered a fall in the early morning hours of August 13, 2020 while at work at BSO's Central Communications Center.

Surveillance video and other evidence would later show that Blum did not suffer a fall and lied about the incident, according to investigators.

BSO said that Blum had signed forms attesting her injuries and that BSO incurred a cost in excess of $1,300 in medical bills.

Blum was arrested on Wednesday evening at BSO's Public Safety Building.

"It's disappointing that we have to announce the arrest of one of our employees, but I made a commitment to Broward residents that BSO would be an agency of transparency and accountability," Sheriff Gregory Tony said. "When employees violate the law, my administration will have the moral courage to police our own. We will be moving toward termination proceedings."

Blum, who began working for BSO in January 2000, has been suspended without pay.