A Los Angeles police officer who stated he was too injured to finish any work was not too injured to leap out of airplanes, prosecutors allege.
Christopher Brandon Carnahan, 43, of Norwalk has been charged with two counts of felony insurance coverage fraud after going skydiving a number of occasions in Lake Elsinore and figuring out at a health middle whereas additionally gathering incapacity advantages by exaggerating an on-duty work damage, in line with the L.A. County district lawyer’s workplace.
Carnahan claimed that he injured his left elbow whereas at work in Might 2023 and was subsequently positioned on whole short-term incapacity standing, prosecutors stated. Cops with this standing are entitled to obtain 100% of their base wage tax-free for as much as a yr after which two-thirds afterward if the damage persists.
He was arrested Wednesday and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. His arraignment will probably be scheduled at a later date, prosecutors stated.
If convicted as charged, he faces as much as six years in county jail.
“This case is about honesty and accountability,” L.A. County Dist. Atty. Hochman stated in an announcement. “Claiming to be quickly completely disabled and gathering incapacity advantages meant for injured staff whereas partaking in bodily demanding actions like skydiving is against the law. That is an officer who is aware of the regulation and understands the requirements he’s sworn to uphold.”
He’s not the one California first responder to have been accused lately of partaking in insurance coverage fraud.
In December, a California Freeway Patrol officer was sentenced to 270 days in a county jail for mendacity about an damage as a way to declare medical retirement. In Might, a former Westminster police officer was charged with 15 felonies associated to staff’ compensation insurance coverage fraud after she was accused of going snowboarding, visiting Disneyland and partying on the Stagecoach Music Competition whereas on incapacity depart. And in August, an L.A. County Fireplace Division captain was charged with 4 felony expenses following allegations that he faked a piece damage and solid docs’ notes to fraudulently declare 1000’s of {dollars} in incapacity funds.
