District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced that Daniel John Sifuentez, age 31, pled guilty to one felony count of Insurance Code section 1871.4(a)(1), commonly known as Worker’s Compensation Fraud. Sifuentez was employed by the Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) as a bus driver.

An investigation conducted by the California Department of Insurance revealed that Sifuentez went to see his physician complaining of a back injury he received while working out in the gym. Three days later Sifuentez filed a claim with the MTD, fraudulently stating that he injured his back on the job. The investigation further revealed that Sifuentez again lied about his pre-existing back injury during his deposition regarding the claim, and told MTD coworkers that he disliked the MTD and “was going to get even with them.” Sifuentez received $5,386.89 in disability payments as well as $3,485 in medical benefits before the fraud was discovered and benefits were terminated. The investigation led to his arrest last July. He was charged with two counts of felony Workers’ Compensation fraud, two counts of insurance fraud, and one count of perjury.

“Filing a fraudulent Worker’s Compensation Claim or making a false or misleading statement which could affect the way the claim is handled is a felony,” noted Deputy District Attorney Gary Gemberling, who prosecuted the case. Gemberling continued, “Additionally, if someone is untruthful during a deposition about a material fact or intentionally fails to disclose a pre- existing injury or medical treatment, they can be prosecuted for Worker’s Compensation Fraud.”