WESTMINSTER, Calif. — The city of Westminster, California is taking legal action against a former police officer accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation by feigning disability, while actually engaging in activities such as dancing and drinking at a music festival and other events.
Nicole Brown is facing a potentially lengthy prison sentence for allegedly receiving fraudulent workers’ compensation payments, claiming she was unable to work due to an on-duty injury she reported in March 2022.
She’s accused of collecting more than $600,000 tax-free, including all medical bills.
The Westminster City Council unanimously agreed to seek restitution of all funds from Brown, citing a breach of public trust. A lawsuit was filed against her on Wednesday.
“We owe it to our residents and to the honest, hard-working officers in our police department to seek to recover these funds,” Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen said in a press release. “Our residents count on us to protect their taxpayer dollars and ensure that employees who are actually injured receive the support they need to recover. Fraud will not be tolerated in Westminster.”
The former officer is charged with stealing fraudulent workers’ compensation payments — all while dancing and drinking at a music festival, skiing, and running a 5K.
The Orange County District Attorney’s office launched an investigation after Brown was caught dancing and drinking at the Stagecoach country music festival.
Prosecutors say she claimed a head injury prevented her from working – but then did multiple things such as going to Disneyland, going skiing and running 5K races.
Brown’s stepfather, Peter Gregory Schuman — a licensed attorney practicing workers’ compensation defense for insurance carriers — is charged with helping his stepdaughter orchestrate the fraud.
Brown has been charged with 15 felony counts, including making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation and making fraudulent insurance benefit claims.
Her stepfather is also charged with conspiring and soliciting someone in an unlawful act.
If convicted, Schuman faces up to eight years behind bars. For Brown, if she’s found guilty, she faces up to 22 years in prison.
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