Latest news with #StagecoachMusicFestival
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police officer partying at festival while collecting $600K for fake injury, officials say
A police officer who was caught partying at a music festival has been charged with fraud. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Orange County District Attorney's office in California says Nicole Brown, 39, is accused of stealing $600,000 in fraudulent workers' compensation payments, according to a spokesperson. TRENDING STORIES: Water main break closes part of busy Greene County street Founding member of popular Dayton band feared dead in California plane crash 4 inmates escape minimum security facility in Ohio, deputies say She claimed to have suffered a head injury during an arrest that prevented her from working. Prosecutors say Brown was seen drinking and driving at the Stagecoach Music Festival, the spokesperson said. They said that during that time, she was collecting payments, Brown also went skiing, ran a 5K, and went to Disneyland. Brown has been charged with 15 felonies. If convicted on all counts, she faces as much as 22 years in prison. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Calif. Police Officer Allegedly Caught Partying at Stagecoach and at Disneyland While Collecting $600k in Workers' Compensation
Former Westminster Police Department officer Nicole Brown is facing 15 felony charges for alleged workers' compensation insurance fraud Brown was injured while on the job in 2022 and took disability amounting to $600,000, according to the Office of the District Attorney of Orange County While on disability, Brown allegedly attended the Stagecoach Music Festival in addition to other activities like visiting Disneyland, skiing, running 5Ks and moreA California police officer is facing 15 felony charges and up to 22 years in prison after being accused of alleged workers' compensation insurance fraud and stealing more than $600k from taxpayers. Nicole Brown, formerly of the Westminster Police Department, suffered a head injury in 2022 while attempting to handcuff a suspect and was later placed on disability. According to a May 20 press release from the Office of the District Attorney of Orange County, Brown, 39, '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.' Several days after the incident, Brown called in sick to work multiple days in a row and was later diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome and was placed on Total Temporary Disability, according to the release. Officers who receive a job-related injury are entitled to their full salary for up to a year in addition to any medical fees. The district attorney's office claims that Brown cost Westminster more than $600,000 in tax payer money during her time on disability. While on her disability, Brown 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,' the release claims. However, an investigation alleged that while on disability, Brown was witnessed drinking and partying at the Stagecoach Music Festival in April 2023, despite the loud, crowded environment with temperatures over 100 degrees. She was also alleged to have gone to Disneyland, attended three AYSO soccer conferences, went snowboarding or skiing in Big Bear and Mammoth, ran two 5k races, played golf, took online courses with a university and attended baseball games. Brown's stepfather Peter Schuman, who is a licensed attorney in California, has also been charged after being accused of aiding her in committing fraud by advocating on her behalf during a meeting to discuss what police duties she could perform. The meeting took place three days after the Stagecoach Music Festival. During the meeting, Brown allegedly 'claimed she was unable to look at the screen' and was 'sitting in a dark room' with Schuman speaking on her behalf, the release adds. Schuman, 57, has been charged with one felony count of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim and one felony count of assisting, abetting, conspiring with and soliciting a person in unlawful act. Schuman is facing a maximum sentence of eight years in prison and could 'suffer discipline by the State Bar of California,' according to the district attorney. Brown has been 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 on all counts, Brown could face up to 22 years in prison. PEOPLE has reached out to the Office of the District Attorney for updates on the case. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. Prior to her leave, Brown served as a Homeless Liaison Officer in Westminster. 'I just don't think that anyone is hopeless,' Brown told the site Behind the Badge in 2020. 'This is not the prettiest job, dealing with the homeless. You might get someone off the streets and they might go back to the streets and it's that cycle. But to actually be able to make an impact on someone's life for the better is why I wanted this position.' At the time, Brown's partner Roland Perez said of her, 'She has compassion. She is all about notes. Everything is organized. She keeps me focused.' Read the original article on People
International Business Times
22-05-2025
- International Business Times
Southern California Cop Who Faked Injury to Claim $600K in Compensation Caught Partying, Dancing at Music Festival
A Southern California police officer was caught partying at the Stagecoach Music Festival while collecting more than $600,000 in workers' compensation for a head injury that prosecutors allege was faked. As reported by the Associated Press, Westminster police officer Nicole Brown, 39, was charged Monday with 15 felonies of workers' compensation and insurance fraud, the Orange County District Attorney's office said. She faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted. Brown Suffered Minor Injury While Trying to Arrest a Suspect, Became Eligible to Receive Disabled Workers' Compensation Brown was duty on March 21, 2022, when she received a "minor abrasion" to her forehead while trying to arrest an uncooperative suspect, according to prosecutors. She told her watch commander that she had a headache and was feeling dizzy. Though an emergency room doctor who examined her that day released her back to work without restrictions, she called out sick for several days and was diagnosed with a severe concussion about a week after the initial injury. She was placed on Total Temporary Disability, which made her eligible to receive her full salary for up to a year and two-thirds of her salary after that. While Brown Claimed She was Sick, She was at a Soccer Conference, She Claimed Disability Benefits While Participating in Races, Skiing, Playing Golf Later, investigators would find out that during the three days she called out sick after her injury, Brown went to several soccer conferences in San Diego. In the following year while collecting disability, she also ran in two 5K races, went snowboarding or skiing in Big Bear and Mammoth, attended baseball games, played golf, went to Disneyland and took online courses with a local university, prosecutors allege. "Mrs. Brown suffered a significant head injury when she was on duty," her attorney Brian Gurwitz said, "and she intends to vigorously fight these allegations." According to prosecutors, some of Brown's ongoing symptoms that she reported during this time were: headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, and inability to look at a screen. Brown Came Under Investigation After She was Spotted 'Dancing and Drinking' at Music Festival The district attorney's office began their investigation into potential fraud after she was seen by several people "dancing and drinking" in April 2023 at the Stagecoach Music Festival, an annual country music festival held in the Coachella Valley with "loud music and bright lights everywhere." This was reported to the Westminster Police Department. Three days after the festival, Brown and her stepfather attended a Zoom meeting where she sat in a dark room and said she was unable to look at the screen. Her stepfather said she still could not do paperwork or take phone calls. After the meeting, she was admitted to an inpatient center for traumatic brain injury. Prosecutors say Brown collected more than $600,000 from the city of Westminster, which includes her full salary and medical expenses. Her stepfather Peter Schuman, 57, of Buena Park, has also been charged with two felonies related to insurance fraud and helping commit a crime. He is a licensed attorney in California and faces discipline from the state bar, prosecutors said. Schuman does not have an attorney listed and could not be reached for comment.
21-05-2025
California cop was partying at festival while collecting $600,000 for fake injury, officials say
LOS ANGELES -- A Southern California police officer was caught partying at the Stagecoach Music Festival while collecting more than $600,000 in workers' compensation for a head injury that prosecutors allege was faked. Westminster officer Nicole Brown, 39, was charged Monday with 15 felonies of workers' compensation and insurance fraud, the Orange County District Attorney's office said. She faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted. Brown was on the job March 21, 2022, when she received a 'minor abrasion' to her forehead while trying to arrest an uncooperative suspect, according to prosecutors. She told her watch commander that she had a headache and was feeling dizzy. Though an emergency room doctor who examined her that day released her back to work without restrictions, she called out sick for several days and was diagnosed with a severe concussion about a week after the initial injury. She was placed on Total Temporary Disability, which made her eligible to receive her full salary for up to a year and two-thirds of her salary after that. Later, investigators would find out that during the three days she called out sick after her injury, Brown went to several soccer conferences in San Diego. In the following year while collecting disability, she also ran in two 5K races, went snowboarding or skiing in Big Bear and Mammoth, attended baseball games, played golf, went to Disneyland and took online courses with a local university, prosecutors allege. 'Mrs. Brown suffered a significant head injury when she was on duty,' her attorney Brian Gurwitz said, 'and she intends to vigorously fight these allegations.' According to prosecutors, some of Brown's ongoing symptoms that she reported during this time were: headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, and inability to look at a screen. The district attorney's office began their investigation into potential fraud after she was seen by several people 'dancing and drinking" in April 2023 at the Stagecoach Music Festival, an annual country music festival held in the Coachella Valley with 'loud music and bright lights everywhere." This was reported to the Westminster Police Department. Three days after the festival, Brown and her stepfather attended a Zoom meeting where she sat in a dark room and said she was unable to look at the screen. Her stepfather said she still could not do paperwork or take phone calls. After the meeting, she was admitted to an inpatient center for traumatic brain injury. Prosecutors say Brown collected more than $600,000 from the city of Westminster, which includes her full salary and medical expenses. Her stepfather Peter Schuman, 57, of Buena Park, has also been charged with two felonies related to insurance fraud and helping commit a crime. He is a licensed attorney in California and faces discipline from the state bar, prosecutors said. Schuman does not have an attorney listed and could not be reached for comment. Brown was sworn into the Westminster Police Department in February 2019, according to Behind the Badge
Toronto Star
21-05-2025
- Toronto Star
California cop was partying at festival while collecting $600,000 for fake injury, officials say
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Southern California police officer was caught partying at the Stagecoach Music Festival while collecting more than $600,000 in workers' compensation for a head injury that prosecutors allege was faked. Westminster officer Nicole Brown, 39, was charged Monday with 15 felonies of workers' compensation and insurance fraud, the Orange County District Attorney's office said. She faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted.
