Contractor Charged With Wage Theft, Fraud

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A painting contractor who had a number of contracts to work on San Francisco city and school projects is facing charges that she cheated her employees out of more than $600,000 in wages.

Prosecutors say Frances Ann Doherty was charged Friday with 57 counts including wage theft, workers' compensation insurance premium fraud and other charges.

District Attorney George Gascon says Doherty, who operated Doherty Painting & Construction, failed to pay San Francisco's prevailing wage to workers for projects she had with San Francisco, the San Francisco Unified School District and other public agencies.

Doherty also allegedly provided fraudulent employee payroll information to insurance companies, enabling her to pay lower workers compensation insurance premiums.

During a hearing Friday, bail for the 51-year-old Doherty was set at $750,000. Her arraignment was continued until Feb. 3.

A phone message left at her business Friday night seeking comment was not immediately returned.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press)