34 year old Perry Adam Lieber, who lives in Santa Barbara and who was a former Ventura County firefighter, was charged earlier this year with three felonies in a case involving workers’ compensation fraud.
Lieber allegedly made material misrepresentations about the nature and extent of an industrial injury as well as his true physical abilities, the DA’s office said. Prosecutors also say he misrepresented his income while getting disability pay and lied under oath during a deposition.
Lieber, ultimately pled guilty this month to felony workers’ compensation fraud under Insurance Code section 1871.4(a), admitting a special allegation that the theft totaled more than $100,000 in losses to the victims.
During his guilty plea, Lieber admitted making false and material misrepresentations for the purpose of obtaining disability benefits to which he was not entitled during his workers’ compensation claim.
Victim agencies York Risk Services and the County of Ventura are alleged to have sustained losses of approximately $148,177.
Chief Mark Lorenzen of the Ventura County Fire Department said Lieber resigned from the agency in early March.
According to a report in the Ventura County Star at the time of his arrest, the Chief said the department was not surprised by the charges the DA’s office has brought against Mr. Lieber. “We were aware of a number of irregularities during the last portion of his career. We brought those to the attention of the county risk management unit.”
The maximum penalty for a violation of Insurance Code 1871.4(a) is five years in jail, as well as a fine of up to double the amount of fraud, or approximately $296,354.
At the time this case was filed, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit obtained a temporary restraining order seizing Lieber’s bank accounts and other assets in connection with the fraud investigation.
As a condition of Lieber’s plea, a portion of these assets will be liquidated to pay victim restitution and criminal fines.
Lieber is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2021, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 12 of the Ventura County Superior Court.