A police officer in Santa Ana, CA, is accused of committing workers’ compensation insurance fraud for allegedly continuing to accept his full salary without working, even though he was physically able to return to work.
Jonathon Ridge, 39, was charged with four counts of insurance fraud. Attorney information wasn’t available.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California has announced charges against a former building commissioner and building contractor for his alleged involvement in a scheme to steal funds meant for the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).
Rodrigo Santos of San Francisco was charged with bank fraud. He was released on $100,000 bond. It is unclear if he has acquired the services of an attorney.
In one of the first federal cases of its kind, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California has announced fraud charges against a Southern California man accused of fraudulently soliciting investments for companies he claimed had developed a pill that could prevent and cure coronavirus infections (COVID-19).
Keith Lawrence Middlebrook, 52, was indicted by a federal grand jury on 11 counts of wire fraud. He was released on May 6 after posting a $150,000 bond. Attorney information wasn’t available.
As businesses across the U.S. continue to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of employers have begun wondering what kind of liability they might face from claims that employees contracted the coronavirus at work. What would an infection mean for workers’ compensation law? California Gov. Newsom provided an answer to that question for employers in his state with the recent signing of an executive order that provides new presumption for COVID-19 diagnosis.
According to Executive Order N-62-20, a worker’s coronavirus-related illness will be presumed to arise out of and in the course of employment for purposes of awarding workers’ compensation benefits. An employee can make a claim as long as they test positive for the coronavirus within 14 days of performing “labor of services” at their workplace. The presumption doesn’t apply if the employee worked from home.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office announced charges against Maria Mendoza for allegedly faking workplace injuries and filing fraudulent workers’ compensation claims at four different workplaces.
Mendoza, 52, was charged with four counts of workers’ compensation fraud and two counts of auto insurance fraud. She was arrested on February 28. Attorney information wasn’t available.
Criminal Defense and Civil Forfeiture Blog