- The Doctor's Office Diagnostic Suite: In-Office Needle Arthroscopyon April 16, 2026 at 1:55 PM
A technology that has been gaining significant traction in orthopedic practice offers a faster and more accurate alternative. In-office needle arthroscopy — sometimes called in-office diagnostic arthroscopy, or IONA — allows orthopedic surgeons to directly visualize the interior of a joint during a routine office visit, using nothing more than local anesthesia and a needle-sized camera.
The leading device in this space is the mi-eye system, now in its third generation, manufactured by Trice Medical. The mi-eye 3 is an FDA-cleared, single-use needlescope measuring just 2.3 millimeters in diameter — roughly the width of a standard blood-draw needle. It integrates a high-resolution image sensor, LED illumination, and a camera into a single handheld instrument, paired with a portable tablet for real-time visualization. The most recent iteration introduced a 25-degree angled lens, a feature long standard in traditional operating-room arthroscopes, which significantly expands the surgeon's field of view. According to Trice Medical, early data suggests the angled camera can capture over sixteen times more visual information than a zero-degree scope.
The clinical workflow is straightforward. The physician numbs the tissue around the joint with a local anesthetic, inserts the needlescope through a standard portal site, and injects a small amount of saline to distend the joint for visibility. Within seconds, the surgeon can visualize cartilage surfaces, meniscal tissue, ligaments, and other structures directly, capturing both still images and video for the medical record. The entire procedure typically takes only minutes, and patients generally resume normal activity within 24 hours. No general anesthesia is required, no operating room is needed, and no hospital facility fee is generated. Physicians who have integrated the procedure into their practices report that it can be performed the same day as the presenting office visit, often while the patient is still in the exam room.
The clinical evidence supporting needle arthroscopy's diagnostic performance is compelling. In a prospective, multicenter study comparing the mi-eye device to both MRI and traditional surgical arthroscopy as a reference standard, the needle arthroscope correctly identified all pathologies in over 91% of patients, compared to roughly 61% for MRI. The device proved more sensitive than MRI in detecting meniscal tears — 92.6% versus 77.8% — and substantially more specific, at 100% versus 41.7%. Those specificity numbers are particularly significant in a workers' compensation context, where a false-positive MRI finding can drive unnecessary surgical authorizations and inflated claim costs.
Published case reports have illustrated the technology's value in precisely the kind of scenario that frustrates claims professionals. In one well-documented case, a patient with persistent knee pain following an injury had undergone MRI imaging that came back negative. Despite the normal scan, symptoms continued. An in-office needle arthroscopy was performed and immediately identified a tear of the medial meniscus that was subsequently confirmed and repaired during follow-up surgery. The diagnosis was reached in approximately twenty seconds of visualization.
A 2025 review published in the Journal of Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Medicine examined the expanding clinical applications of IONA across multiple joints — knee, shoulder, ankle, wrist, elbow, and hip — and concluded that it is more accurate than MRI for identifying intra-articular pathologies in many of these settings. Notably, the technology has also extended beyond pure diagnostics: surgeons are now performing minor therapeutic procedures through the same needle-sized portals, including partial meniscectomies using miniaturized instruments, which could further reduce operating-room utilization and associated costs.
The economic case for in-office needle arthroscopy is particularly relevant to the workers' compensation system. A cost-minimization analysis published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Open Access evaluated societal costs of using in-office diagnostic arthroscopy compared to MRI for employed patients receiving workers' compensation or disability benefits. The study, which examined data from four U.S. metropolitan regions, found that in-office arthroscopy produced potential savings of approximately $7,852 to $11,227 per operative patient compared to the MRI pathway. Those savings reflected not only lower direct procedure costs — average commercial reimbursement for in-office knee arthroscopy was approximately $629, compared to over $1,000 for outpatient MRI — but also the substantial indirect costs of delayed diagnosis: lost wages, extended disability payments, additional office visits, and interim treatments that might prove unnecessary once a definitive diagnosis is reached.
- WCRI Examines Air Ambulance Use and Costs Across 32 Stateson April 16, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Air ambulances can be lifesaving for workers with severe job related injuries, and their costs vary widely across states. A new FlashReport from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines air ambulance use and payments in workers’ compensation claims across 32 states.
“Air ambulances play a critical role in workers’ compensation by providing rapid emergency transport for workers with severe or life‑threatening injuries,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “This study helps clarify key questions about costs and access to services, particularly in remote areas.”
The study finds wide variation in average payments for air ambulance services across states. It also highlights ongoing legal uncertainty over who has authority to regulate air ambulance pricing, as providers and states differ on whether federal law preempts state workers’ compensation fee schedules. This uncertainty has contributed to wide variation in air ambulance payments across states.
The study addresses:
- - How frequently air ambulance services are used in workers’ compensation claims and how use differs between rural and non rural areas.
- - Differences in air ambulance use and payment levels across states.
- - Changes in payments for air ambulance services over time and how trends in payment growth vary by state.
The analysis for Use and Cost of Air Ambulance Transport Services in Workers’ Compensation—A WCRI FlashReport is based on workers’ compensation claims from 32 states covering injuries through 2024. The states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The study is free for WCRI members and available for purchase by nonmembers.
- New York Federal Court Extends FEHA Reach in High Profile Caseon April 15, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni co-starred in the film It Ends With Us, a movie exploring domestic violence based on a Colleen Hoover novel. Baldoni co-founded Wayfarer Studios and also directed the film. Lively's role was negotiated through her loanout company, Blakel, Inc., under an Offer Letter dated May 4, 2023. The parties never executed the contemplated long-form Actor Loanout Agreement ("ALA"), though they negotiated it for over a year while filming proceeded. A separate Contract Rider Agreement ("CRA") was signed in January 2024, setting conditions — including a no-retaliation clause — under which Lively would return to production after the 2023 WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Lively alleged in the lawsuit she filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York that during the first phase of filming in New Jersey, Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath subjected her to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment — including comments about her body, an intrusion on her physical privacy while she was undressed, pressure to perform nudity beyond what was agreed, and discussions of personal sexual matters. In November 2023, Lively's attorneys sent a "Protections for Return to Production" letter identifying seventeen conditions for her return to set. A January 4, 2024 all-hands meeting addressed these concerns, and the CRA was signed shortly after. Lively alleged that following the film's August 2024 release, the defendants launched a coordinated public-relations campaign — engaging crisis consultants, digital operatives, and media contacts — to destroy her reputation in retaliation for her complaints. Expert reports submitted by Lively showed statistical evidence of artificially manipulated online content targeting her.
In the Opinion and Order on Motions for Judgment on the Pleadings and Summary Judgment in the case of Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC No. 24-cv-10049 (S.D.N.Y.) on April 2, 2026, Judge Liman ruled on the Wayfarer Parties' combined motions for judgment on the pleadings and for summary judgment on all thirteen of Lively's claims, which spanned Title VII, California FEHA, California Labor Code § 1102.5, breach of contract, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and civil conspiracy.
The court granted the motions on most claims but denied them on three: (1) Lively's FEHA retaliation claim against IEWUM and Wayfarer (Count Four); (2) her FEHA aiding-and-abetting retaliation claim against The Advocacy Group, LLC (Count Seven); and (3) her breach of the CRA claim against It Ends With Us Movie LLC (Count Nine). All other claims — including Title VII, California Labor Code § 1102.5, FEHA sexual harassment, defamation, false light, civil conspiracy, and breach of the ALA — were dismissed.
Employment Status (Title VII and California Labor Code). The court held that Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, under both the federal Reid factors and California's Borello test. Lively enjoyed extensive contractual approval rights over the script, director, co-lead, wardrobe, marketing, and release pattern; she exercised significant practical control over hiring, firing, editing, and production logistics; she was paid a flat fee plus equity through her loanout entity with no tax withholding or benefits; and her engagement was limited to a single six-week project. Citing Alberty-Velez v. Corporacion de Puerto Rico Para La Difusion Publica, 361 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2004), and Lerohl v. Friends of Minnesota Sinfonia, 322 F.3d 486 (8th Cir. 2003), the court reasoned that a director's creative control over an actor does not automatically convert the actor into an employee, and that Lively's independence — both contractual and practical — was overwhelming.
Contract Claims. The ALA was found unenforceable because it was never signed, IEWUM consistently insisted on execution as a condition precedent, and Lively could not identify which draft bound the parties or when. The CRA, however, was enforceable: it was signed by both parties, supported by valid consideration (Lively's agreement to return to set when her obligation to do so was doubtful), and its anti-retaliation clause was not dependent on execution of the ALA.
Why a New York Federal Court Applied California FEHA. This is the opinion's most significant issue. California law presumes its statutes do not apply extraterritorially, citing Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. v. Superior Court, 968 P.2d 539 (Cal. 1999), and courts have consistently held that FEHA does not reach conduct occurring outside California. See Campbell v. Arco Marine, Inc., 50 Cal. Rptr. 2d 626 (Cal. Ct. App. 1996). The ALA's California choice-of-law clause could not resolve this issue because the ALA was never executed.
The court therefore applied the Campbell framework, which asks whether the "core of the alleged wrongful conduct" — particularly the "ultimate" or "crucial" discriminatory acts — occurred in California. For the sexual harassment claims, the answer was no: the alleged hostile-work-environment conduct occurred on a New Jersey film set, and California connections such as Heath's text messages or pre-production Zoom calls were too peripheral to constitute "core" wrongdoing. The court rejected Lively's argument that retaliatory acts committed from California could bootstrap her harassment claims into California's territorial reach, noting that the alleged retaliation occurred after the working relationship ended and thus could not create a hostile work environment.
For the retaliation claims, however, the court reached the opposite conclusion. The allegedly retaliatory smear campaign was planned, directed, and largely executed from California. Baldoni and Heath — both California residents — directed their California-based PR consultants (TAG, Nathan) to implement the campaign. TAG retained a digital operative (Wallace) from California. The "decision to take retaliatory actions was made in California," which courts have held satisfies the territorial nexus. See eShares, Inc. v. Talton, 2025 WL 936921, at *15 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2025). The court further noted that FEHA's anti-retaliation provision protects "any person" — not just employees — meaning Lively's independent-contractor status did not bar her FEHA retaliation claim. See Fitzsimons v. California Emergency Physicians Medical Group, 141 Cal. Rptr. 3d 265, 269 (Cal. Ct. App. 2012).
Retaliation — Triable Issues. The court found genuine factual disputes on all three elements of the FEHA retaliation claim: (1) Lively engaged in protected activity through the Protections Letter and all-hands meeting, and it was reasonable for her to believe she was opposing sexual harassment; (2) the Wayfarer Parties' campaign — including statements about wanting to "bury" and "destroy" Lively, coordination with digital operatives whose work would be "untraceable," and expert evidence of artificially manipulated online content — could constitute adverse employment action materially impairing her career prospects; and (3) a jury could infer retaliatory motive from the sequence of events and the Wayfarer Parties' documented anger over Lively's complaints.
Remaining Claims Dismissed. The defamation claim was barred by New York's fair-report privilege because all challenged statements were made by counsel in connection with judicial proceedings. The false-light claim failed because New York law — which governed under choice-of-law analysis focused on Lively's New York domicile — does not recognize the tort. Civil conspiracy claims fell with the underlying torts they were predicated on. Individual aiding-and-abetting claims against Nathan and Abel were barred under Reno v. Baird, 957 P.2d 1333 (Cal. 1998), which prohibits personal liability for individual nonemployer agents, though the court reserved judgment on TAG's potential liability as a business-entity agent under Raines v. U.S. Healthworks Medical Group, 534 P.3d 40 (Cal. 2023).
The case is scheduled to proceed to trial on May 18, 2026 in New York.
- Former UCLA Doctor Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Prisonon April 15, 2026 at 10:09 AM
James Heaps served as a gynecologist and oncologist affiliated with U.C.L.A. for nearly 35 years. At various times, he saw patients at the Ronald Reagan U.C.L.A. Medical Center and at his office at 100 Medical Plaza. Heaps was reportedly at one time the highest paid physician in the entire U.C. system and had treated approximately 6,000 patients.
In October 2022, Heaps was convicted of three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person. Those charges involved two former patients. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in April 2023.
But that conviction did not stand. On February 6, 2026, the California Second District Court of Appeal overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial in the published case of People versus Heaps -B329296 (February 2026). The key issue on appeal was a violation of the defendant's Sixth Amendment rights, specifically the right to a fair trial and an impartial jury. During deliberations, the trial court received a note indicating that an alternate juror had limited English proficiency, which potentially affected their ability to understand the proceedings and participate fully. The court did not disclose this note to the parties or allow input from the defense and prosecution before proceeding. That procedural error was deemed reversible.
So following that reversal, Heaps pleaded guilty this April in case number SA100560 to thirteen counts. Those counts include six felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, five felony counts of sexual battery by fraud, and two felony counts of sexual exploitation of a patient. The plea came at a pretrial hearing just two months after the appeals court overturned his original conviction.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo sentenced Heaps to 11 years in prison. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life. The charges involved five female patients who were assaulted between 2011 and 2018 while Heaps was working as an obstetrician and gynecologist at U.C.L.A.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman commented on the sentence, saying, quote, today marks the second time that we're holding James Heaps responsible for the unconscionable crimes he committed while being entrusted with the safety of his patients, end quote. Hochman added that for years, Heaps exploited the sacred trust between a doctor and patient to prey on vulnerable victims during medical procedures. He said the sentence ensures Heaps will finally be held accountable for the harm he inflicted under the guise of care. Hochman addressed the survivors directly, expressing hope that the outcome brings them closure, and stating, quote, to all survivors, please know that we believe you and we will fight for you, end quote.
This criminal case is just one piece of a much larger scandal at U.C.L.A. involving Heaps. Hundreds of women accused him of inappropriate exams and abuse over many years, leading to his removal from practice and massive civil settlements.
More than 500 lawsuits were filed against Heaps and U.C.L.A., accusing the school of failing to protect patients after becoming aware of the misconduct. During the course of the criminal prosecution, attorneys for 312 former patients announced a $374 million settlement of abuse lawsuits against the University of California on May 24, 2022. That came on top of a $243.6 million resolution involving about 200 patients announced in February of that year, and a $73 million settlement of federal lawsuits involving roughly 5,500 plaintiffs. By that point, U.C.L.A. had paid out approximately $700 million in total settlements to hundreds of former patients over related sexual misconduct claims spanning decades.
And for context, this is not the only case of its kind in the U.C. system or in higher education more broadly. In March 2021, in a similar case, U.S.C. agreed to pay more than $1.1 billion to about 17,000 former patients of former campus gynecologist George Tyndall. That remains the largest sex abuse payout in higher education history.
- Reconsideration Denied in SCIF Commutation Significant Panel Decisionon April 14, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Gregg Rader sustained an industrial injury to his psyche in the form of emotional stress while employed by Ticketmaster Corporation, with dates of injury spanning from November 12, 1991 through November 12, 1992. On January 19, 2011, a Workers' Compensation Judge approved the parties' Stipulations with Request for Award, granting Rader an award of 100 percent permanent total disability at a weekly rate of $336.00.
As part of that award, the WCJ approved an attorney's fee of $39,444.71 — calculated as 15 percent of the present value of Rader's anticipated lifetime benefits of $262,964.75 (after a 3% present value reduction). To fund this fee, the parties agreed to commute it laterally from Rader's weekly benefits, reducing each payment by $50.40 and yielding a net weekly payment of $285.60.
Years later, Rader contended that the total amount withheld from his weekly benefits had fully satisfied the $39,444.71 attorney's fee. His math was straightforward: dividing $39,444.71 by $50.40 per week produced roughly 782.63 weeks, which — counted from the initial payment date of June 6, 2008 — pointed to approximately June 5, 2023 as the date the commutation should have ended. He argued that his weekly rate should have returned to the full $336.00 at that point and sought penalties and interest for the continued withholding. Defendant State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) countered that the award was silent on any end date for the commutation and that the WCAB lacked jurisdiction to alter the award.
The WCJ sided with SCIF. The WCJ reasoned that imprecision is inherent in life-expectancy estimates and that the gross amount of weekly reductions exceeding the fee amount was simply the expected outcome when an applicant outlives the projected life expectancy. The WCJ further found that under Labor Code section 5804, the attempt to undo the rate reduction was filed many years outside the permissible five-year window for amending an award, and therefore the court lacked jurisdiction.
Last January, the WCAB granted Rader's Petition for Reconsideration in the Significant Panel Decision of Gregg Rader v Ticketmaster -ADJ7138762 (January 2026) and substitute new Findings of Fact that the WCAB retains ongoing jurisdiction over the award of attorney’s fees pursuant to section 5803, and that because defendant has taken credit from applicant’s weekly payment of permanent indemnity in an amount equivalent to the dollar amount of commuted attorney’s fees, applicant is thereafter entitled to the full amount of his award without further reduction for attorney’s fees.
The State Fund was now the aggrieved party in the case for the first time, thus it was allowed to filed its own Petition for Reconsideration. The WCAB just denied SCIF's petition for reconsideration in the second panel decision of Rader v. Ticketmaster Corporation -ADJ7138762 (April 2026), affirming its own January 8, 2026 Opinion and Decision After Reconsideration (ODAR) which has been deemed a Significant Panel Decision. That earlier decision had revIersed the WCJ, holding that the WCAB retains jurisdiction over the dispute and that the weekly commutation ends once the gross amount of the awarded attorney's fee ($39,444.71) has been fully satisfied — after which Rader is entitled to his full $336.00 weekly rate.
On Jurisdiction: The WCAB acknowledged that Labor Code section 5804 bars rescission, alteration, or amendment of an award more than five years from the date of injury. However, the Board drew a critical distinction: this dispute concerned the enforcement of the existing award's terms — specifically, the allocation of attorney's fees — rather than an alteration of the underlying disability award itself. Under Labor Code section 5803, the WCAB retains ongoing jurisdiction to enforce its orders and awards, including matters collateral to the award such as commutations and attorney's fees. Relying on Hodge v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1981) 123 Cal.App.3d 501, 508-509 [46 Cal.Comp.Cases 1034], the Board emphasized that commutation merely alters the form of an award and does not affect the merits of the basic decision determining the worker's right to benefits.
On the Merits: The WCAB examined the actual language of the Stipulations and Award and found that the only basis for withholding was to satisfy the specified attorney's fee lien of $39,444.71. Neither the Stipulations nor the Award authorized withholding for any other purpose or contemplated an indefinite reduction. The Board reasoned that once a lien is fully paid, no statutory basis exists to continue allowing it as a charge against compensation under Labor Code section 4903(a). Additionally, under Labor Code section 5100, all commutations must avoid inequity and undue hardship to the applicant — and continuing to reduce benefits for attorney's fees that have already been fully satisfied would be manifestly inequitable.
On SCIF's Commutation Table Argument: SCIF pointed to Examples D and E in the commutation instructions under Administrative Director Rule 10169.1 (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, § 10169.1), which provide that after commutation of all remaining life pension indemnity, no further benefits are due. The WCAB found these examples inapposite because they involve commuting the entirety of an applicant's future benefits, whereas here the parties commuted only a fixed dollar amount of attorney's fees from an ongoing lifetime benefit stream.
A Remaining Open Question: While affirming that the commutation must end once the fee amount is satisfied, the WCAB expressly declined to opine on whether the present-value equivalent of the fees had already been fully withheld — noting that such a determination may require expert testimony and proper application of the 3% present-value calculations under AD Rules 10169 and 10169.1. The Board encouraged the parties to resolve the issue amicably but reminded them that any further proceedings must be supported by substantial evidence in the record, citing Hamilton v. Lockheed Corporation (2001) 66 Cal.Comp.Cases 473, 478 (Appeals Bd. en banc).
- Podiatrist Sentenced for $3.2 Million Healthcare Fraudon April 14, 2026 at 10:43 AM
A U.S. District Judge sentenced Felipe Ruiz, 52, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 53, of Clovis, to 63 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The Judge also ordered forfeiture of nine properties owned by Aguirre and Ruiz, as well as a $2.6 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Aguirre and a $12.1 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Ruiz.
According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist and the sole owner of West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. Aguirre was a pharmaceutical sales representative who sold skin grafts to Ruiz and WCP. Aguirre was not licensed to practice medicine.
Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre to apply skin grafts and perform other medical procedures on patients suffering from severe wounds, including foot amputations. Application of the skin grafts required sharp debridement, which means using a scalpel to scrape the wound until it bleeds. Some patients believed Aguirre was a physician, referring to him as “Dr. Gabe.” Aguirre would perform medical procedures alone without supervision from a trained physician.
Ruiz and Aguirre submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz and other physicians had performed the medical procedures, such as applying skin grafts to patients, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services.
In one example, WCP submitted $150,000 in claims to Medicare in 2023, claiming a physician performed the procedures, when in fact the physician was out of the country on vacation. In another example, Aguirre cut into patients with recently amputated feet with a scalpel and apply skin grafts without a physician’s supervision. Ruiz knew about Aguirre’s conduct and dismissed staff’s concerns about Aguirre.
Throughout the period, staff and third-party auditors raised concerns about Ruiz and Aguirre’s billing practices. The two ignored those warnings and continued to bill Medicare and Medicaid for services performed by Aguirre.
As a result, Ruiz submitted approximately $3,200,000 in false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal between 2021 and 2024.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
- 132a Reversed Because WCAB Systematically Ignored Evidenceon April 13, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Jeanette France worked as an occupational health nurse for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP), first through a staffing agency from June to September 2016, and then as a direct hire under an emergency appointment beginning September 27, 2016. Emergency appointments under the Los Angeles City Charter are temporary, capped at one year, and may be terminated at any time without cause.
France's immediate supervisor was Bedros Okhanes, who reported to medical director Dr. Leslie Michelle Israel. On January 9, 2017, France was injured at work when a chair she was sitting in fell, causing injuries to her lower back and shoulder. The next day she reported the injury and filed a workers' compensation claim. On February 1, 2017 — less than a month after the injury — the DWP terminated her employment. France described a sequence of events that day: she was first called to the workers' compensation office, where she met with Okhanes and two workers' compensation staff members who asked her to sign documents. France told them she had retained a lawyer — something she had not previously disclosed. Ten to fifteen minutes later, she was called into Dr. Israel's office, where the DWP's director of human resources, Deitra Barnett, told France she was fired without explanation.
The DWP maintained that France was terminated for poor job performance that predated her injury. Dr. Israel identified several concerns: France failed to check patient identification before administering vaccines, left vaccines unrefrigerated, and did not take a patient's blood pressure before a breathing test. Okhanes, in a 2019 deposition (he passed away in 2022), confirmed that France had "problems with her assignments." Barnett testified that as an emergency hire, no written documentation of performance deficiencies was required before termination.
France denied ever being spoken to about performance issues or receiving any discipline. She also pointed out that the DWP's internal termination paperwork listed no reason for her discharge.
France pursued two tracks. First, she filed a civil lawsuit under the Fair Employment and Housing Act alleging disability discrimination and retaliation. In December 2019, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted summary judgment for the DWP, finding under the burden-shifting framework of McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green (1973) 411 U.S. 792 that France was terminated for legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons — namely, poor performance predating her injury — and that France failed to raise a triable issue of pretext.
Second, France filed a workers' compensation petition alleging the DWP violated Labor Code section 132a, which prohibits employers from discharging employees for filing or threatening to file a workers' compensation claim. After a multi-day hearing, the workers' compensation judge denied the claim, finding that France failed to prove the termination was retaliatory in light of the performance evidence, and that she produced no evidence that those involved in terminating her even knew about her statements in the workers' compensation meeting minutes earlier.
France sought reconsideration. The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) granted the petition, reversed the judge, and found the DWP had violated section 132a. The WCAB concluded the DWP failed to carry its burden of establishing good cause for termination, emphasizing the absence of written disciplinary records, the lack of a stated reason on termination paperwork, and the fact that Dr. Israel could not recall exact dates for the performance issues she observed.
The Court of Appeal granted the DWP's petition for writ of review in the unpublished case of L.A. Department of Water & Power v. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board Case No. E086551 (April 2026) and annulled the WCAB's decision, directing the WCAB to reinstate the workers' compensation judge's original order denying France's section 132a claim.
The court held that the WCAB's findings were unreasonable because the Board systematically ignored relevant evidence rather than evaluating the record as a whole. Citing Bracken v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1989) 214 Cal.App.3d 246, 255, the court emphasized that while the WCAB has broad authority to make its own credibility determinations on reconsideration, it cannot meet the substantial evidence standard by isolating favorable evidence and ignoring contradictory facts. The court also relied on Lamb v. Workmen's Comp. Appeals Bd. (1974) 11 Cal.3d 274, 281 and Garza v. Workmen's Comp. App. Bd. (1970) 3 Cal.3d 312, 317 for the same principle.
Specifically, the court identified several ways the WCAB mischaracterized the record. Both Barnett and Israel testified that France was terminated for poor performance, yet the WCAB found that no witness confirmed this. The WCAB stated Barnett testified France was terminated merely because the emergency appointment ended, but Barnett actually testified the appointment was ended because of poor performance. The WCAB discredited Israel's testimony because she could not recall specific dates for the performance issues, while ignoring the superior court's summary judgment order — part of the record — containing Israel's declaration placing those issues in October and November 2016, well before the injury. The WCAB faulted the absence of testimony from France's direct supervisor Okhanes without acknowledging his 2019 deposition testimony, which was in the record and was the only testimony available given his death in 2022. Finally, the WCAB drew negative inferences from the lack of written documentation without addressing Barnett's unrebutted explanation that emergency hires required no such documentation under the City Charter.
The court stressed that the WCAB was free to weigh evidence and make credibility determinations, but it was not free to simply ignore evidence that cut against its conclusions. Because the WCAB's decision was not based on the entire record as required by Labor Code section 5952, the court annulled it under the standard set forth in Smith v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (2000) 79 Cal.App.4th 530, 535 and ordered reinstatement of the original award following Redner v. Workmen's Comp. Appeals Bd. (1971) 5 Cal.3d 83, 97.
- Med Examiner Steals Necklace While Investigating Death of Workeron April 13, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Adrian Muñoz, 36 (born October 22, 1989, and a Los Angeles resident), formerly worked as a medical examiner investigator for the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office (previously the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner) since 2018.
On April 10, 2026, he pleaded no contest in Los Angeles Superior Court (case BA519016) to one felony count of grand theft and one misdemeanor count of petty theft. These charges involved stealing personal items from deceased individuals during death investigations he was assigned to handle.
On January 6, 2023: Muñoz responded to the death of a warehouse worker in South Los Angeles who died of a heart attack on the job. Surveillance footage showed him removing a gold crucifix necklace from the deceased man’s neck and placing it in his medical bag. He did not return the item to the family or document it on the required property receipt.
The warehouse worker was previously identified by his family as Miguel Solorio. They told the Los Angeles Times in 2023 that he had worn the necklace for decades.Solorio had been a roughly 10-year employee of Hylands, working in a warehouse where homeopathic products were loaded, unloaded, managed and shipped.
Rosalba Solorio, Miguel’s daughter-in-law, who also worked at Hylands, said a representative of the district attorney’s office had called the family to tell them that Muñoz had been arrested.
“We’re happy the investigation didn’t just fall through the cracks,” she said. “They actually did something about it and hopefully we’ll see justice for my father-in-law.”
An employee of Hylands, who asked for anonymity for fear of retribution, told The Times that Muñoz had been called to take care of Solorio’s body. According to the employee, a security camera at the warehouse caught Muñoz removing the necklace from the body, placing it in a glove and then slipping it into his medical bag. The footage also showed Muñoz taking cash from the front pocket of the man’s pants and, again, slipping it into a glove in his medical bag.
“There is something especially appalling about stealing from the dead. During a time when dignity and respect should be absolute, Mr. Muñoz chose greed,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “Today’s plea is a step toward justice, but it cannot undo the additional trauma inflicted on families who were already dealing with loss. Thank you to Deputy District Attorneys Brandy Chase and Kristopher Gay of the Justice System Integrity Division for their work to ensure the defendant was brought to justice.”
Muñoz is scheduled to be sentenced June 5 in Department 113 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Muñoz is expected to be sentenced to two years of formal probation, serve 180 days in Los Angeles County jail, permanently resign from the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and pay restitution to each victim’s family.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Brandy Chase and Kristopher Gay and investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
- "Ketamine Queen" to Serve 15 Years For Matthew Perry Deathon April 9, 2026 at 10:03 AM
A San Fernando Valley woman was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for her long-running drug dealing activities, including selling ketamine that contributed to at least two deaths, including the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023. Jasveen Sangha, 42, a.k.a. “Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett.
Matthew Langford Perry was an American and Canadian actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom Friends (1994–2004). Perry also appeared on Ally McBeal (2002) and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing (2003) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). He played a leading role in the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007), and also became known for his leading film roles in Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).
On October 28, 2023, Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades. On December 15, 2023, Perry’s death was revealed to have occurred due to acute effects of ketamine. On August 15, 2024, indictments and charges were filed against five people: Perry’s personal assistant, two doctors, and two drug dealers (including TV director Erik Fleming), alleging involvement in the distribution of ketamine that caused the death of Perry and one other person.
Sangha pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Sangha is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom and has been in federal custody since August 2024.
“For years…Sangha operated a high-volume drug trafficking business out of her North Hollywood residence,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “To cultivate her business, [Sangha] marketed herself as an exclusive dealer who catered to high-profile Hollywood clientele…While [Sangha] worked to expand and profit from her drug trafficking, she knew – and disregarded – the grave harm her conduct was causing.”
According to court documents, Sangha worked with Erik Fleming, 56, of Hawthorne, to knowingly distribute ketamine to Perry, a successful actor and author whose struggles with drug addiction were well documented. In October 2023, Sangha and Fleming sold Perry 51 vials of ketamine, which were provided to Kenneth Iwamasa, 61, of Toluca Lake, Perry’s live-in personal assistant.
Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied to Fleming. Specifically, on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which caused Perry’s death.
In August 2019, Sangha sold four vials ketamine to victim Cody McLaury, who died hours later from a drug overdose.
In March 2024, law enforcement searched the residence and found thousands of pressed methamphetamine pills, 79 vials of liquid ketamine, MDMA (Ecstasy) tablets, counterfeit Xanax pills, baggies containing powdered ketamine and cocaine, and other drug trafficking items such as a gold money counting machine, a scale, a wireless signal and hidden camera detector, drug packaging materials, and $5,723 in cash.
Sangha also used her North Hollywood residence to store, package, and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine, since at least June 2019.
Besides Sangha, the following defendants have been sentenced in this case:
- - Salvador Plasencia, 44, a.k.a. “Dr. P,” of Santa Monica, is serving a 30-month prison sentence after pleading guilty in July 2025 to four counts of distribution of ketamine. He surrendered his California medical license in September 2025. Plasencia repeatedly sold vials of ketamine to Perry despite knowing Perry’s well-documented history of drug addiction and that Perry’s personal assistant was administering the drug without medical training or supervision.
- - Mark Chavez, 55, of San Diego, was sentenced to three years of probation, eight months of home detention, and was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold the drug to Plasencia, who then distributed it to Perry. Chavez surrendered his medical license in November 2024.
Iwamasa and Fleming are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Each of them pleaded guilty in August 2024 to federal narcotics charges.
- Corrupt SoCal ChiroMed Clinic Operator Sentenced to 18 Yearson April 9, 2026 at 10:02 AM
A San Fernando Valley man who operated corrupt medical clinics was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking ring that sold thousands of illegal opioid prescriptions for cash.
Justin Douglas Cozart, 48, of Woodland Hills, who operated and supervised the ChiroMed medical clinics, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter.
In February 2025, at the conclusion of a five-day trial, a federal jury found Cozart guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of concealment money laundering.
From 2017 to January 2020, Cozart and others knowingly and intentionally participated in a conspiracy to distribute the opioid painkiller oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
Cozart operated several medical clinics in Southern California. Other members of the conspiracy recruited sham patients to go to Cozart’s clinics – including ones in Inglewood, Santa Ana, and Anaheim – to obtain oxycodone prescriptions. Cozart employed doctors at the clinic, including John Korzelius, 74, a.k.a. “Dr. K,” of Long Beach, who wrote oxycodone prescriptions for the fake patients. The recruiters then paid Cozart for the fraudulent oxycodone prescriptions.
Upon obtaining the prescriptions from the clinic, the recruiters took the sham patients to a pharmacy to fill the prescriptions. After collecting and consolidating the pills, co-conspirators shipped them to a drug customer in the Boston area, for distribution on the black market. On two occasions in October and December 2018, parcels containing their consolidated pills were seized by law enforcement.
In November and December of 2019, at a clinic in Inglewood, Korzelius issued prescriptions for 60 30 milligram oxycodone pills – the highest dose of short-acting oxycodone available and the dose most popular among drug abusers – to a patient who actually was an undercover law enforcement officer.
Korzelius did not conduct a physical examination of this “patient” and instructed the undercover officer to not fill the prescription at a large pharmacy such as Walmart or CVS.
“[Cozart] was a primary, illegal source of supply of oxycodone, a dangerous and frequently abused drug, for an organization that was shipping thousands of pills across the country for sale,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He converted otherwise lawful chiropractic clinics into drug trafficking businesses, and pulled their existing employees…into his scheme.”
In total, prosecutors in this case have secured nine convictions.
Korzelius pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. His California medical license expired in December 2020. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 8.
- The Doctor's Office Diagnostic Suite: In-Office Needle Arthroscopyon April 16, 2026 at 1:55 PM
A technology that has been gaining significant traction in orthopedic practice offers a faster and more accurate alternative. In-office needle arthroscopy — sometimes called in-office diagnostic arthroscopy, or IONA — allows orthopedic surgeons to directly visualize the interior of a joint during a routine office visit, using nothing more than local anesthesia and a needle-sized camera.
The leading device in this space is the mi-eye system, now in its third generation, manufactured by Trice Medical. The mi-eye 3 is an FDA-cleared, single-use needlescope measuring just 2.3 millimeters in diameter — roughly the width of a standard blood-draw needle. It integrates a high-resolution image sensor, LED illumination, and a camera into a single handheld instrument, paired with a portable tablet for real-time visualization. The most recent iteration introduced a 25-degree angled lens, a feature long standard in traditional operating-room arthroscopes, which significantly expands the surgeon's field of view. According to Trice Medical, early data suggests the angled camera can capture over sixteen times more visual information than a zero-degree scope.
The clinical workflow is straightforward. The physician numbs the tissue around the joint with a local anesthetic, inserts the needlescope through a standard portal site, and injects a small amount of saline to distend the joint for visibility. Within seconds, the surgeon can visualize cartilage surfaces, meniscal tissue, ligaments, and other structures directly, capturing both still images and video for the medical record. The entire procedure typically takes only minutes, and patients generally resume normal activity within 24 hours. No general anesthesia is required, no operating room is needed, and no hospital facility fee is generated. Physicians who have integrated the procedure into their practices report that it can be performed the same day as the presenting office visit, often while the patient is still in the exam room.
The clinical evidence supporting needle arthroscopy's diagnostic performance is compelling. In a prospective, multicenter study comparing the mi-eye device to both MRI and traditional surgical arthroscopy as a reference standard, the needle arthroscope correctly identified all pathologies in over 91% of patients, compared to roughly 61% for MRI. The device proved more sensitive than MRI in detecting meniscal tears — 92.6% versus 77.8% — and substantially more specific, at 100% versus 41.7%. Those specificity numbers are particularly significant in a workers' compensation context, where a false-positive MRI finding can drive unnecessary surgical authorizations and inflated claim costs.
Published case reports have illustrated the technology's value in precisely the kind of scenario that frustrates claims professionals. In one well-documented case, a patient with persistent knee pain following an injury had undergone MRI imaging that came back negative. Despite the normal scan, symptoms continued. An in-office needle arthroscopy was performed and immediately identified a tear of the medial meniscus that was subsequently confirmed and repaired during follow-up surgery. The diagnosis was reached in approximately twenty seconds of visualization.
A 2025 review published in the Journal of Arthroscopic Surgery and Sports Medicine examined the expanding clinical applications of IONA across multiple joints — knee, shoulder, ankle, wrist, elbow, and hip — and concluded that it is more accurate than MRI for identifying intra-articular pathologies in many of these settings. Notably, the technology has also extended beyond pure diagnostics: surgeons are now performing minor therapeutic procedures through the same needle-sized portals, including partial meniscectomies using miniaturized instruments, which could further reduce operating-room utilization and associated costs.
The economic case for in-office needle arthroscopy is particularly relevant to the workers' compensation system. A cost-minimization analysis published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery Open Access evaluated societal costs of using in-office diagnostic arthroscopy compared to MRI for employed patients receiving workers' compensation or disability benefits. The study, which examined data from four U.S. metropolitan regions, found that in-office arthroscopy produced potential savings of approximately $7,852 to $11,227 per operative patient compared to the MRI pathway. Those savings reflected not only lower direct procedure costs — average commercial reimbursement for in-office knee arthroscopy was approximately $629, compared to over $1,000 for outpatient MRI — but also the substantial indirect costs of delayed diagnosis: lost wages, extended disability payments, additional office visits, and interim treatments that might prove unnecessary once a definitive diagnosis is reached. - WCRI Examines Air Ambulance Use and Costs Across 32 Stateson April 16, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Air ambulances can be lifesaving for workers with severe job related injuries, and their costs vary widely across states. A new FlashReport from the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) examines air ambulance use and payments in workers’ compensation claims across 32 states.
“Air ambulances play a critical role in workers’ compensation by providing rapid emergency transport for workers with severe or life‑threatening injuries,” said Sebastian Negrusa, vice president of research at WCRI. “This study helps clarify key questions about costs and access to services, particularly in remote areas.”
The study finds wide variation in average payments for air ambulance services across states. It also highlights ongoing legal uncertainty over who has authority to regulate air ambulance pricing, as providers and states differ on whether federal law preempts state workers’ compensation fee schedules. This uncertainty has contributed to wide variation in air ambulance payments across states.
The study addresses:
- - How frequently air ambulance services are used in workers’ compensation claims and how use differs between rural and non rural areas.
- - Differences in air ambulance use and payment levels across states.
- - Changes in payments for air ambulance services over time and how trends in payment growth vary by state.
The analysis for Use and Cost of Air Ambulance Transport Services in Workers’ Compensation—A WCRI FlashReport is based on workers’ compensation claims from 32 states covering injuries through 2024. The states include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The study is free for WCRI members and available for purchase by nonmembers. - New York Federal Court Extends FEHA Reach in High Profile Caseon April 15, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni co-starred in the film It Ends With Us, a movie exploring domestic violence based on a Colleen Hoover novel. Baldoni co-founded Wayfarer Studios and also directed the film. Lively's role was negotiated through her loanout company, Blakel, Inc., under an Offer Letter dated May 4, 2023. The parties never executed the contemplated long-form Actor Loanout Agreement ("ALA"), though they negotiated it for over a year while filming proceeded. A separate Contract Rider Agreement ("CRA") was signed in January 2024, setting conditions — including a no-retaliation clause — under which Lively would return to production after the 2023 WGA/SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Lively alleged in the lawsuit she filed in the United States District Court Southern District of New York that during the first phase of filming in New Jersey, Baldoni and Wayfarer CEO Jamey Heath subjected her to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment — including comments about her body, an intrusion on her physical privacy while she was undressed, pressure to perform nudity beyond what was agreed, and discussions of personal sexual matters. In November 2023, Lively's attorneys sent a "Protections for Return to Production" letter identifying seventeen conditions for her return to set. A January 4, 2024 all-hands meeting addressed these concerns, and the CRA was signed shortly after. Lively alleged that following the film's August 2024 release, the defendants launched a coordinated public-relations campaign — engaging crisis consultants, digital operatives, and media contacts — to destroy her reputation in retaliation for her complaints. Expert reports submitted by Lively showed statistical evidence of artificially manipulated online content targeting her.
In the Opinion and Order on Motions for Judgment on the Pleadings and Summary Judgment in the case of Lively v. Wayfarer Studios LLC No. 24-cv-10049 (S.D.N.Y.) on April 2, 2026, Judge Liman ruled on the Wayfarer Parties' combined motions for judgment on the pleadings and for summary judgment on all thirteen of Lively's claims, which spanned Title VII, California FEHA, California Labor Code § 1102.5, breach of contract, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, and civil conspiracy.
The court granted the motions on most claims but denied them on three: (1) Lively's FEHA retaliation claim against IEWUM and Wayfarer (Count Four); (2) her FEHA aiding-and-abetting retaliation claim against The Advocacy Group, LLC (Count Seven); and (3) her breach of the CRA claim against It Ends With Us Movie LLC (Count Nine). All other claims — including Title VII, California Labor Code § 1102.5, FEHA sexual harassment, defamation, false light, civil conspiracy, and breach of the ALA — were dismissed.
Employment Status (Title VII and California Labor Code). The court held that Lively was an independent contractor, not an employee, under both the federal Reid factors and California's Borello test. Lively enjoyed extensive contractual approval rights over the script, director, co-lead, wardrobe, marketing, and release pattern; she exercised significant practical control over hiring, firing, editing, and production logistics; she was paid a flat fee plus equity through her loanout entity with no tax withholding or benefits; and her engagement was limited to a single six-week project. Citing Alberty-Velez v. Corporacion de Puerto Rico Para La Difusion Publica, 361 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2004), and Lerohl v. Friends of Minnesota Sinfonia, 322 F.3d 486 (8th Cir. 2003), the court reasoned that a director's creative control over an actor does not automatically convert the actor into an employee, and that Lively's independence — both contractual and practical — was overwhelming.
Contract Claims. The ALA was found unenforceable because it was never signed, IEWUM consistently insisted on execution as a condition precedent, and Lively could not identify which draft bound the parties or when. The CRA, however, was enforceable: it was signed by both parties, supported by valid consideration (Lively's agreement to return to set when her obligation to do so was doubtful), and its anti-retaliation clause was not dependent on execution of the ALA.
Why a New York Federal Court Applied California FEHA. This is the opinion's most significant issue. California law presumes its statutes do not apply extraterritorially, citing Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc. v. Superior Court, 968 P.2d 539 (Cal. 1999), and courts have consistently held that FEHA does not reach conduct occurring outside California. See Campbell v. Arco Marine, Inc., 50 Cal. Rptr. 2d 626 (Cal. Ct. App. 1996). The ALA's California choice-of-law clause could not resolve this issue because the ALA was never executed.
The court therefore applied the Campbell framework, which asks whether the "core of the alleged wrongful conduct" — particularly the "ultimate" or "crucial" discriminatory acts — occurred in California. For the sexual harassment claims, the answer was no: the alleged hostile-work-environment conduct occurred on a New Jersey film set, and California connections such as Heath's text messages or pre-production Zoom calls were too peripheral to constitute "core" wrongdoing. The court rejected Lively's argument that retaliatory acts committed from California could bootstrap her harassment claims into California's territorial reach, noting that the alleged retaliation occurred after the working relationship ended and thus could not create a hostile work environment.
For the retaliation claims, however, the court reached the opposite conclusion. The allegedly retaliatory smear campaign was planned, directed, and largely executed from California. Baldoni and Heath — both California residents — directed their California-based PR consultants (TAG, Nathan) to implement the campaign. TAG retained a digital operative (Wallace) from California. The "decision to take retaliatory actions was made in California," which courts have held satisfies the territorial nexus. See eShares, Inc. v. Talton, 2025 WL 936921, at *15 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 27, 2025). The court further noted that FEHA's anti-retaliation provision protects "any person" — not just employees — meaning Lively's independent-contractor status did not bar her FEHA retaliation claim. See Fitzsimons v. California Emergency Physicians Medical Group, 141 Cal. Rptr. 3d 265, 269 (Cal. Ct. App. 2012).
Retaliation — Triable Issues. The court found genuine factual disputes on all three elements of the FEHA retaliation claim: (1) Lively engaged in protected activity through the Protections Letter and all-hands meeting, and it was reasonable for her to believe she was opposing sexual harassment; (2) the Wayfarer Parties' campaign — including statements about wanting to "bury" and "destroy" Lively, coordination with digital operatives whose work would be "untraceable," and expert evidence of artificially manipulated online content — could constitute adverse employment action materially impairing her career prospects; and (3) a jury could infer retaliatory motive from the sequence of events and the Wayfarer Parties' documented anger over Lively's complaints.
Remaining Claims Dismissed. The defamation claim was barred by New York's fair-report privilege because all challenged statements were made by counsel in connection with judicial proceedings. The false-light claim failed because New York law — which governed under choice-of-law analysis focused on Lively's New York domicile — does not recognize the tort. Civil conspiracy claims fell with the underlying torts they were predicated on. Individual aiding-and-abetting claims against Nathan and Abel were barred under Reno v. Baird, 957 P.2d 1333 (Cal. 1998), which prohibits personal liability for individual nonemployer agents, though the court reserved judgment on TAG's potential liability as a business-entity agent under Raines v. U.S. Healthworks Medical Group, 534 P.3d 40 (Cal. 2023).
The case is scheduled to proceed to trial on May 18, 2026 in New York. - Former UCLA Doctor Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Prisonon April 15, 2026 at 10:09 AM
James Heaps served as a gynecologist and oncologist affiliated with U.C.L.A. for nearly 35 years. At various times, he saw patients at the Ronald Reagan U.C.L.A. Medical Center and at his office at 100 Medical Plaza. Heaps was reportedly at one time the highest paid physician in the entire U.C. system and had treated approximately 6,000 patients.
In October 2022, Heaps was convicted of three counts of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person. Those charges involved two former patients. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison in April 2023.
But that conviction did not stand. On February 6, 2026, the California Second District Court of Appeal overturned the conviction and ordered a new trial in the published case of People versus Heaps -B329296 (February 2026). The key issue on appeal was a violation of the defendant's Sixth Amendment rights, specifically the right to a fair trial and an impartial jury. During deliberations, the trial court received a note indicating that an alternate juror had limited English proficiency, which potentially affected their ability to understand the proceedings and participate fully. The court did not disclose this note to the parties or allow input from the defense and prosecution before proceeding. That procedural error was deemed reversible.
So following that reversal, Heaps pleaded guilty this April in case number SA100560 to thirteen counts. Those counts include six felony counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person, five felony counts of sexual battery by fraud, and two felony counts of sexual exploitation of a patient. The plea came at a pretrial hearing just two months after the appeals court overturned his original conviction.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo sentenced Heaps to 11 years in prison. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life. The charges involved five female patients who were assaulted between 2011 and 2018 while Heaps was working as an obstetrician and gynecologist at U.C.L.A.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman commented on the sentence, saying, quote, today marks the second time that we're holding James Heaps responsible for the unconscionable crimes he committed while being entrusted with the safety of his patients, end quote. Hochman added that for years, Heaps exploited the sacred trust between a doctor and patient to prey on vulnerable victims during medical procedures. He said the sentence ensures Heaps will finally be held accountable for the harm he inflicted under the guise of care. Hochman addressed the survivors directly, expressing hope that the outcome brings them closure, and stating, quote, to all survivors, please know that we believe you and we will fight for you, end quote.
This criminal case is just one piece of a much larger scandal at U.C.L.A. involving Heaps. Hundreds of women accused him of inappropriate exams and abuse over many years, leading to his removal from practice and massive civil settlements.
More than 500 lawsuits were filed against Heaps and U.C.L.A., accusing the school of failing to protect patients after becoming aware of the misconduct. During the course of the criminal prosecution, attorneys for 312 former patients announced a $374 million settlement of abuse lawsuits against the University of California on May 24, 2022. That came on top of a $243.6 million resolution involving about 200 patients announced in February of that year, and a $73 million settlement of federal lawsuits involving roughly 5,500 plaintiffs. By that point, U.C.L.A. had paid out approximately $700 million in total settlements to hundreds of former patients over related sexual misconduct claims spanning decades.
And for context, this is not the only case of its kind in the U.C. system or in higher education more broadly. In March 2021, in a similar case, U.S.C. agreed to pay more than $1.1 billion to about 17,000 former patients of former campus gynecologist George Tyndall. That remains the largest sex abuse payout in higher education history. - Reconsideration Denied in SCIF Commutation Significant Panel Decisionon April 14, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Gregg Rader sustained an industrial injury to his psyche in the form of emotional stress while employed by Ticketmaster Corporation, with dates of injury spanning from November 12, 1991 through November 12, 1992. On January 19, 2011, a Workers' Compensation Judge approved the parties' Stipulations with Request for Award, granting Rader an award of 100 percent permanent total disability at a weekly rate of $336.00.
As part of that award, the WCJ approved an attorney's fee of $39,444.71 — calculated as 15 percent of the present value of Rader's anticipated lifetime benefits of $262,964.75 (after a 3% present value reduction). To fund this fee, the parties agreed to commute it laterally from Rader's weekly benefits, reducing each payment by $50.40 and yielding a net weekly payment of $285.60.
Years later, Rader contended that the total amount withheld from his weekly benefits had fully satisfied the $39,444.71 attorney's fee. His math was straightforward: dividing $39,444.71 by $50.40 per week produced roughly 782.63 weeks, which — counted from the initial payment date of June 6, 2008 — pointed to approximately June 5, 2023 as the date the commutation should have ended. He argued that his weekly rate should have returned to the full $336.00 at that point and sought penalties and interest for the continued withholding. Defendant State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) countered that the award was silent on any end date for the commutation and that the WCAB lacked jurisdiction to alter the award.
The WCJ sided with SCIF. The WCJ reasoned that imprecision is inherent in life-expectancy estimates and that the gross amount of weekly reductions exceeding the fee amount was simply the expected outcome when an applicant outlives the projected life expectancy. The WCJ further found that under Labor Code section 5804, the attempt to undo the rate reduction was filed many years outside the permissible five-year window for amending an award, and therefore the court lacked jurisdiction.
Last January, the WCAB granted Rader's Petition for Reconsideration in the Significant Panel Decision of Gregg Rader v Ticketmaster -ADJ7138762 (January 2026) and substitute new Findings of Fact that the WCAB retains ongoing jurisdiction over the award of attorney’s fees pursuant to section 5803, and that because defendant has taken credit from applicant’s weekly payment of permanent indemnity in an amount equivalent to the dollar amount of commuted attorney’s fees, applicant is thereafter entitled to the full amount of his award without further reduction for attorney’s fees.
The State Fund was now the aggrieved party in the case for the first time, thus it was allowed to filed its own Petition for Reconsideration. The WCAB just denied SCIF's petition for reconsideration in the second panel decision of Rader v. Ticketmaster Corporation -ADJ7138762 (April 2026), affirming its own January 8, 2026 Opinion and Decision After Reconsideration (ODAR) which has been deemed a Significant Panel Decision. That earlier decision had revIersed the WCJ, holding that the WCAB retains jurisdiction over the dispute and that the weekly commutation ends once the gross amount of the awarded attorney's fee ($39,444.71) has been fully satisfied — after which Rader is entitled to his full $336.00 weekly rate.
On Jurisdiction: The WCAB acknowledged that Labor Code section 5804 bars rescission, alteration, or amendment of an award more than five years from the date of injury. However, the Board drew a critical distinction: this dispute concerned the enforcement of the existing award's terms — specifically, the allocation of attorney's fees — rather than an alteration of the underlying disability award itself. Under Labor Code section 5803, the WCAB retains ongoing jurisdiction to enforce its orders and awards, including matters collateral to the award such as commutations and attorney's fees. Relying on Hodge v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1981) 123 Cal.App.3d 501, 508-509 [46 Cal.Comp.Cases 1034], the Board emphasized that commutation merely alters the form of an award and does not affect the merits of the basic decision determining the worker's right to benefits.
On the Merits: The WCAB examined the actual language of the Stipulations and Award and found that the only basis for withholding was to satisfy the specified attorney's fee lien of $39,444.71. Neither the Stipulations nor the Award authorized withholding for any other purpose or contemplated an indefinite reduction. The Board reasoned that once a lien is fully paid, no statutory basis exists to continue allowing it as a charge against compensation under Labor Code section 4903(a). Additionally, under Labor Code section 5100, all commutations must avoid inequity and undue hardship to the applicant — and continuing to reduce benefits for attorney's fees that have already been fully satisfied would be manifestly inequitable.
On SCIF's Commutation Table Argument: SCIF pointed to Examples D and E in the commutation instructions under Administrative Director Rule 10169.1 (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, § 10169.1), which provide that after commutation of all remaining life pension indemnity, no further benefits are due. The WCAB found these examples inapposite because they involve commuting the entirety of an applicant's future benefits, whereas here the parties commuted only a fixed dollar amount of attorney's fees from an ongoing lifetime benefit stream.
A Remaining Open Question: While affirming that the commutation must end once the fee amount is satisfied, the WCAB expressly declined to opine on whether the present-value equivalent of the fees had already been fully withheld — noting that such a determination may require expert testimony and proper application of the 3% present-value calculations under AD Rules 10169 and 10169.1. The Board encouraged the parties to resolve the issue amicably but reminded them that any further proceedings must be supported by substantial evidence in the record, citing Hamilton v. Lockheed Corporation (2001) 66 Cal.Comp.Cases 473, 478 (Appeals Bd. en banc). - Podiatrist Sentenced for $3.2 Million Healthcare Fraudon April 14, 2026 at 10:43 AM
A U.S. District Judge sentenced Felipe Ruiz, 52, of Fresno, and Jose Gabriel Aguirre, 53, of Clovis, to 63 months in prison for conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The Judge also ordered forfeiture of nine properties owned by Aguirre and Ruiz, as well as a $2.6 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Aguirre and a $12.1 million personal forfeiture money judgement against Ruiz.
According to court documents, Ruiz was a podiatrist and the sole owner of West Coast Podiatry Inc. (WCP), a podiatric medical practice with locations in Fresno, Madera, and Stanislaus Counties. Aguirre was a pharmaceutical sales representative who sold skin grafts to Ruiz and WCP. Aguirre was not licensed to practice medicine.
Between June 2021 and January 2024, Ruiz purchased skin grafts from Aguirre and permitted Aguirre to apply skin grafts and perform other medical procedures on patients suffering from severe wounds, including foot amputations. Application of the skin grafts required sharp debridement, which means using a scalpel to scrape the wound until it bleeds. Some patients believed Aguirre was a physician, referring to him as “Dr. Gabe.” Aguirre would perform medical procedures alone without supervision from a trained physician.
Ruiz and Aguirre submitted fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal that falsely represented that Ruiz and other physicians had performed the medical procedures, such as applying skin grafts to patients, when Aguirre had actually rendered the services.
In one example, WCP submitted $150,000 in claims to Medicare in 2023, claiming a physician performed the procedures, when in fact the physician was out of the country on vacation. In another example, Aguirre cut into patients with recently amputated feet with a scalpel and apply skin grafts without a physician’s supervision. Ruiz knew about Aguirre’s conduct and dismissed staff’s concerns about Aguirre.
Throughout the period, staff and third-party auditors raised concerns about Ruiz and Aguirre’s billing practices. The two ignored those warnings and continued to bill Medicare and Medicaid for services performed by Aguirre.
As a result, Ruiz submitted approximately $3,200,000 in false claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and Medi-Cal between 2021 and 2024.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case. - 132a Reversed Because WCAB Systematically Ignored Evidenceon April 13, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Jeanette France worked as an occupational health nurse for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP), first through a staffing agency from June to September 2016, and then as a direct hire under an emergency appointment beginning September 27, 2016. Emergency appointments under the Los Angeles City Charter are temporary, capped at one year, and may be terminated at any time without cause.
France's immediate supervisor was Bedros Okhanes, who reported to medical director Dr. Leslie Michelle Israel. On January 9, 2017, France was injured at work when a chair she was sitting in fell, causing injuries to her lower back and shoulder. The next day she reported the injury and filed a workers' compensation claim. On February 1, 2017 — less than a month after the injury — the DWP terminated her employment. France described a sequence of events that day: she was first called to the workers' compensation office, where she met with Okhanes and two workers' compensation staff members who asked her to sign documents. France told them she had retained a lawyer — something she had not previously disclosed. Ten to fifteen minutes later, she was called into Dr. Israel's office, where the DWP's director of human resources, Deitra Barnett, told France she was fired without explanation.
The DWP maintained that France was terminated for poor job performance that predated her injury. Dr. Israel identified several concerns: France failed to check patient identification before administering vaccines, left vaccines unrefrigerated, and did not take a patient's blood pressure before a breathing test. Okhanes, in a 2019 deposition (he passed away in 2022), confirmed that France had "problems with her assignments." Barnett testified that as an emergency hire, no written documentation of performance deficiencies was required before termination.
France denied ever being spoken to about performance issues or receiving any discipline. She also pointed out that the DWP's internal termination paperwork listed no reason for her discharge.
France pursued two tracks. First, she filed a civil lawsuit under the Fair Employment and Housing Act alleging disability discrimination and retaliation. In December 2019, the Los Angeles County Superior Court granted summary judgment for the DWP, finding under the burden-shifting framework of McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green (1973) 411 U.S. 792 that France was terminated for legitimate, nondiscriminatory reasons — namely, poor performance predating her injury — and that France failed to raise a triable issue of pretext.
Second, France filed a workers' compensation petition alleging the DWP violated Labor Code section 132a, which prohibits employers from discharging employees for filing or threatening to file a workers' compensation claim. After a multi-day hearing, the workers' compensation judge denied the claim, finding that France failed to prove the termination was retaliatory in light of the performance evidence, and that she produced no evidence that those involved in terminating her even knew about her statements in the workers' compensation meeting minutes earlier.
France sought reconsideration. The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) granted the petition, reversed the judge, and found the DWP had violated section 132a. The WCAB concluded the DWP failed to carry its burden of establishing good cause for termination, emphasizing the absence of written disciplinary records, the lack of a stated reason on termination paperwork, and the fact that Dr. Israel could not recall exact dates for the performance issues she observed.
The Court of Appeal granted the DWP's petition for writ of review in the unpublished case of L.A. Department of Water & Power v. Workers' Compensation Appeals Board Case No. E086551 (April 2026) and annulled the WCAB's decision, directing the WCAB to reinstate the workers' compensation judge's original order denying France's section 132a claim.
The court held that the WCAB's findings were unreasonable because the Board systematically ignored relevant evidence rather than evaluating the record as a whole. Citing Bracken v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (1989) 214 Cal.App.3d 246, 255, the court emphasized that while the WCAB has broad authority to make its own credibility determinations on reconsideration, it cannot meet the substantial evidence standard by isolating favorable evidence and ignoring contradictory facts. The court also relied on Lamb v. Workmen's Comp. Appeals Bd. (1974) 11 Cal.3d 274, 281 and Garza v. Workmen's Comp. App. Bd. (1970) 3 Cal.3d 312, 317 for the same principle.
Specifically, the court identified several ways the WCAB mischaracterized the record. Both Barnett and Israel testified that France was terminated for poor performance, yet the WCAB found that no witness confirmed this. The WCAB stated Barnett testified France was terminated merely because the emergency appointment ended, but Barnett actually testified the appointment was ended because of poor performance. The WCAB discredited Israel's testimony because she could not recall specific dates for the performance issues, while ignoring the superior court's summary judgment order — part of the record — containing Israel's declaration placing those issues in October and November 2016, well before the injury. The WCAB faulted the absence of testimony from France's direct supervisor Okhanes without acknowledging his 2019 deposition testimony, which was in the record and was the only testimony available given his death in 2022. Finally, the WCAB drew negative inferences from the lack of written documentation without addressing Barnett's unrebutted explanation that emergency hires required no such documentation under the City Charter.
The court stressed that the WCAB was free to weigh evidence and make credibility determinations, but it was not free to simply ignore evidence that cut against its conclusions. Because the WCAB's decision was not based on the entire record as required by Labor Code section 5952, the court annulled it under the standard set forth in Smith v. Workers' Comp. Appeals Bd. (2000) 79 Cal.App.4th 530, 535 and ordered reinstatement of the original award following Redner v. Workmen's Comp. Appeals Bd. (1971) 5 Cal.3d 83, 97. - Med Examiner Steals Necklace While Investigating Death of Workeron April 13, 2026 at 11:10 AM
Adrian Muñoz, 36 (born October 22, 1989, and a Los Angeles resident), formerly worked as a medical examiner investigator for the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office (previously the Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner) since 2018.
On April 10, 2026, he pleaded no contest in Los Angeles Superior Court (case BA519016) to one felony count of grand theft and one misdemeanor count of petty theft. These charges involved stealing personal items from deceased individuals during death investigations he was assigned to handle.
On January 6, 2023: Muñoz responded to the death of a warehouse worker in South Los Angeles who died of a heart attack on the job. Surveillance footage showed him removing a gold crucifix necklace from the deceased man’s neck and placing it in his medical bag. He did not return the item to the family or document it on the required property receipt.
The warehouse worker was previously identified by his family as Miguel Solorio. They told the Los Angeles Times in 2023 that he had worn the necklace for decades.Solorio had been a roughly 10-year employee of Hylands, working in a warehouse where homeopathic products were loaded, unloaded, managed and shipped.
Rosalba Solorio, Miguel’s daughter-in-law, who also worked at Hylands, said a representative of the district attorney’s office had called the family to tell them that Muñoz had been arrested.
“We’re happy the investigation didn’t just fall through the cracks,” she said. “They actually did something about it and hopefully we’ll see justice for my father-in-law.”
An employee of Hylands, who asked for anonymity for fear of retribution, told The Times that Muñoz had been called to take care of Solorio’s body. According to the employee, a security camera at the warehouse caught Muñoz removing the necklace from the body, placing it in a glove and then slipping it into his medical bag. The footage also showed Muñoz taking cash from the front pocket of the man’s pants and, again, slipping it into a glove in his medical bag.
“There is something especially appalling about stealing from the dead. During a time when dignity and respect should be absolute, Mr. Muñoz chose greed,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “Today’s plea is a step toward justice, but it cannot undo the additional trauma inflicted on families who were already dealing with loss. Thank you to Deputy District Attorneys Brandy Chase and Kristopher Gay of the Justice System Integrity Division for their work to ensure the defendant was brought to justice.”
Muñoz is scheduled to be sentenced June 5 in Department 113 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Muñoz is expected to be sentenced to two years of formal probation, serve 180 days in Los Angeles County jail, permanently resign from the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and pay restitution to each victim’s family.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorneys Brandy Chase and Kristopher Gay and investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. - "Ketamine Queen" to Serve 15 Years For Matthew Perry Deathon April 9, 2026 at 10:03 AM
A San Fernando Valley woman was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for her long-running drug dealing activities, including selling ketamine that contributed to at least two deaths, including the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry in October 2023. Jasveen Sangha, 42, a.k.a. “Ketamine Queen,” of North Hollywood, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett.
Matthew Langford Perry was an American and Canadian actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom Friends (1994–2004). Perry also appeared on Ally McBeal (2002) and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing (2003) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). He played a leading role in the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007), and also became known for his leading film roles in Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).
On October 28, 2023, Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in Pacific Palisades. On December 15, 2023, Perry’s death was revealed to have occurred due to acute effects of ketamine. On August 15, 2024, indictments and charges were filed against five people: Perry’s personal assistant, two doctors, and two drug dealers (including TV director Erik Fleming), alleging involvement in the distribution of ketamine that caused the death of Perry and one other person.
Sangha pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, three counts of distribution of ketamine, and one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Sangha is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom and has been in federal custody since August 2024.
“For years…Sangha operated a high-volume drug trafficking business out of her North Hollywood residence,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “To cultivate her business, [Sangha] marketed herself as an exclusive dealer who catered to high-profile Hollywood clientele…While [Sangha] worked to expand and profit from her drug trafficking, she knew – and disregarded – the grave harm her conduct was causing.”
According to court documents, Sangha worked with Erik Fleming, 56, of Hawthorne, to knowingly distribute ketamine to Perry, a successful actor and author whose struggles with drug addiction were well documented. In October 2023, Sangha and Fleming sold Perry 51 vials of ketamine, which were provided to Kenneth Iwamasa, 61, of Toluca Lake, Perry’s live-in personal assistant.
Leading up to Perry’s death, Iwamasa repeatedly injected Perry with the ketamine that Sangha supplied to Fleming. Specifically, on October 28, 2023, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least three shots of Sangha’s ketamine, which caused Perry’s death.
In August 2019, Sangha sold four vials ketamine to victim Cody McLaury, who died hours later from a drug overdose.
In March 2024, law enforcement searched the residence and found thousands of pressed methamphetamine pills, 79 vials of liquid ketamine, MDMA (Ecstasy) tablets, counterfeit Xanax pills, baggies containing powdered ketamine and cocaine, and other drug trafficking items such as a gold money counting machine, a scale, a wireless signal and hidden camera detector, drug packaging materials, and $5,723 in cash.
Sangha also used her North Hollywood residence to store, package, and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine, since at least June 2019.
Besides Sangha, the following defendants have been sentenced in this case:
- - Salvador Plasencia, 44, a.k.a. “Dr. P,” of Santa Monica, is serving a 30-month prison sentence after pleading guilty in July 2025 to four counts of distribution of ketamine. He surrendered his California medical license in September 2025. Plasencia repeatedly sold vials of ketamine to Perry despite knowing Perry’s well-documented history of drug addiction and that Perry’s personal assistant was administering the drug without medical training or supervision.
- - Mark Chavez, 55, of San Diego, was sentenced to three years of probation, eight months of home detention, and was ordered to perform 300 hours of community service after he pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. Chavez operated a ketamine clinic and sold the drug to Plasencia, who then distributed it to Perry. Chavez surrendered his medical license in November 2024.
Iwamasa and Fleming are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Each of them pleaded guilty in August 2024 to federal narcotics charges. - Corrupt SoCal ChiroMed Clinic Operator Sentenced to 18 Yearson April 9, 2026 at 10:02 AM
A San Fernando Valley man who operated corrupt medical clinics was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison for participating in a drug trafficking ring that sold thousands of illegal opioid prescriptions for cash.
Justin Douglas Cozart, 48, of Woodland Hills, who operated and supervised the ChiroMed medical clinics, was sentenced by United States District Judge David O. Carter.
In February 2025, at the conclusion of a five-day trial, a federal jury found Cozart guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of concealment money laundering.
From 2017 to January 2020, Cozart and others knowingly and intentionally participated in a conspiracy to distribute the opioid painkiller oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.
Cozart operated several medical clinics in Southern California. Other members of the conspiracy recruited sham patients to go to Cozart’s clinics – including ones in Inglewood, Santa Ana, and Anaheim – to obtain oxycodone prescriptions. Cozart employed doctors at the clinic, including John Korzelius, 74, a.k.a. “Dr. K,” of Long Beach, who wrote oxycodone prescriptions for the fake patients. The recruiters then paid Cozart for the fraudulent oxycodone prescriptions.
Upon obtaining the prescriptions from the clinic, the recruiters took the sham patients to a pharmacy to fill the prescriptions. After collecting and consolidating the pills, co-conspirators shipped them to a drug customer in the Boston area, for distribution on the black market. On two occasions in October and December 2018, parcels containing their consolidated pills were seized by law enforcement.
In November and December of 2019, at a clinic in Inglewood, Korzelius issued prescriptions for 60 30 milligram oxycodone pills – the highest dose of short-acting oxycodone available and the dose most popular among drug abusers – to a patient who actually was an undercover law enforcement officer.
Korzelius did not conduct a physical examination of this “patient” and instructed the undercover officer to not fill the prescription at a large pharmacy such as Walmart or CVS.
“[Cozart] was a primary, illegal source of supply of oxycodone, a dangerous and frequently abused drug, for an organization that was shipping thousands of pills across the country for sale,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “He converted otherwise lawful chiropractic clinics into drug trafficking businesses, and pulled their existing employees…into his scheme.”
In total, prosecutors in this case have secured nine convictions.
Korzelius pleaded guilty in February 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. His California medical license expired in December 2020. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 8.