California cop accused of partying at music fest while faking head injury
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A former police officer in California faces numerous felony charges after authorities accused her of faking a head injury.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement on Tuesday that 39-year-old Nicole Brown, formerly of the Westminster Police Department, is accused of stealing more than $600,000 in fraudulent workers’ compensation payments.
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Prosecutors allege she was caught dancing and drinking at the Stagecoach country music festival, skiing, running long distance races, and going to Disneyland while claiming to be disabled due to a head injury she claimed she suffered while placing a suspect in handcuffs.
Brown is charged with nine felony counts of making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation, six felony counts of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim, and one felony enhancement of committing an aggravated white collar crime over $100,000.
If convicted of all charges, she faces up to 22 years in state prison.
In addition, the former cop’s 57-year-old stepfather Peter Gregory Schuman is also charged with two felonies for allegedly conspiring with his stepdaughter to orchestrate the fraudulent workers’ compensation scheme.
Authorities said Schuman is a licensed attorney who practices workers’ compensation defence on behalf of insurance companies.
He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison if convicted on both charges.
Brown was employed as a police officer with the Westminster Police Department on March 21, 2022, when she suffered “a minor abrasion to her forehead” while trying to arrest an uncooperative suspect, the DA’s office said.
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“She complained to her watch commander that she had a headache and was feeling dizzy, but an emergency room doctor who examined her that same day released her back to work without restrictions,” authorities said.
However, after calling in sick for several shifts, Brown was diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome and placed on Total Temporary Disability nine days later.
While not on the job, police said Brown cost the city of Westminster more than $600,000, which covered her full salary and medical expenses.
She complained of “headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, problems processing thoughts and words, and an inability to work on the computer or do any screentime.”
Despite reporting those symptoms, Brown was seen by several people who knew she was off work on disability as she was dancing and drinking at the Stagecoach Music Festival on April 23, 2023, the district attorney alleged.
Her alleged attendance at the music festival was reported to the police department, who forwarded the case to the district attorney for an investigation into potential workers’ compensation fraud.
Investigators allege Brown, while on disability, attended a soccer conference in San Diego, ran in two 5K races, went snowboarding and/or skiing, attended baseball games, played golf, went to Disneyland, and took online courses with a local university.
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