Former Agawam Officer pleads guilty to workers’ compensation fraud

AGAWAM, Mass. (WWLP) – A former Agawam Police Officer has pleaded guilty to fraud in connection to collecting workers’ compensation while employed as a Connecticut correctional officer.

On April 26, 56-year-old Matthew Hubbard of Agawam pleaded guilty to three counts of larceny in the fourth degree and was sentenced to one year in prison for each charge, a total of three years, but with execution suspended. Hubbard will have two years of probation and will have to pay restitution which will be determined at a later date.

Hubbard was injured while employed as a correctional officer for the State of Connecticut’s Department of Correction and was placed on temporary total disability. The State of Connecticut gave him wage replacement and medical benefits. While receiving these benefits, Hubbard was processing a recertification for his position as a reserve police officer for the Agawam Police Department and worked as a real estate agent.

In order to receive workers’ compensation in Connecticut, the recipient is considered to have zero work capacity and must inform their employer if they have any medical improvement. Any income received beyond the benefits must be reported. Hubbard collected a total of $86,648.08 from workers’ compensation during his employment as a correctional officer.

In July of 2023, the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission suspended Hubbard as a police officer. The suspension is in effect through June 30, 2025. The Town of Agawam told 22News that Hubbard no longer is employed by the city.

The POST Commission operates independently and has the power to establish policing standards, certify police officers, investigate misconduct allegations, and suspend or revoke the certification of officers found to have violated the commission’s standards. As of May 8, there are currently 55 officers suspended in the Commonwealth.

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22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts in March 1953. Watch the 22News digital edition on weekdays at 4 p.m.

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