Driver Wanted

Elisha Gorman, 23, of Chino Hills, was arrested on a felony warrant and charged with two counts of insurance fraud, as well as on an additional warrant charging her with grand theft from an unrelated case. Gorman's boyfriend, Jason Becker, 29, also of Chino Hills, was also arrested on a charge of grand theft, unrelated.

According to the California Department of Insurance (CDI), Gorman's vehicle was involved in an accident on Dec. 30, 2000 and the driver of the vehicle fled the scene on foot. Gorman allegedly went to the scene of the accident and told officers that she was the driver of the vehicle. When the police noted that witnesses identified a male fleeing from the scene, Gorman apparently changed her story and said that her boyfriend had been driving the vehicle.

Subsequent to the collision, Gorman reported her vehicle stolen to Aegis Security Insurance Company. She submitted an affidavit of theft to the insurance company listing a friend of a friend as taking the vehicle without her permission. Gorman included a copy of the traffic collision report completed by CHP Officers at the scene of the collision which she allegedly altered to reflect her story.

Gorman was the only driver listed on the collision policy. The use of her vehicle by her boyfriend, who was driving with a suspended license, was not covered under the policy provisions. Aegis suffered a loss of $5,977 as a result of the fraudulent claim filed by Gorman.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the cases.

A Full-Service Cleaner

Thomas Gary Myers was arrested at his place of business in Irvine, Calif., pursuant to a warrant issued by Orange County Superior Court Judge Donna Crandall.

Myers, 62, is charged with two felony insurance fraud violations and one felony violation of making false statements in relation to an insurance claim.

Myers is the owner of Thomas Myers Janitorial Services in Irvine and owns several other companies that provide similar cleaning and janitorial services. Myers allegedly operated Thomas Myers Janitorial Services without workers' compensation coverage for his employees in order to avoid paying the premiums.

On April 4, 1998, Rafael Cortes was working for the janitorial service and sustained an industrial injury to his back while cleaning a carpet. When Cortes reported his injury to his employer, Myers allegedly had his office manager report the incident to Hartford Insurance as having occurred with Myers Carpet Cleaning Company, which did have proper workers' comp coverage for its employees.

Hartford Insurance accepted liability for Cortes' injury based on statements made by his employer. $78,824.07 was paid for Cortes' workers' comp claim.

If convicted, Myers could be sentenced up to five years in state prison and/or a $50,000 fine.

Coffee Anyone'

William Hall, 65, of Oakland, surrendered to authorities on 23 counts of insurance fraud. Hall was arrested and booked into the Alameda County Jail, but later released on $10,000 bail, according to the CDI.

Hall claimed he was unable to work his Oct. 15, 1999 shift at Peet's Coffee & Tea in Oakland due to an alleged back injury he sustained while mopping the floor on the previous nights' shift.

Hall, a retired Oakland Unified School District employee, filed a workers' compensation claim and began medical treatment for his injuries. Investigators discovered that Hall repeatedly falsified his medical history to evaluating physicians, failing to disclose a long history of back problems. Tanner Insurance has paid a total of approximately $40,200 for Hall's claim.

Don't Quit Your Day Job

Following an investigation by the CDI Criminal Investigations Branch's Fraud Division, Todd Owen Balcom was arrested at his residence in Port Hueneme pursuant to an arrest warrant issued by Ventura County Superior Court.

Balcom, 51, was charged by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office with four felony counts of workers' compensation insurance fraud. If convicted, Balcom could be sentenced up to five years in state prison and/or a $50,000 fine.

On Nov. 10, 2000, while employed at the Foundation for Retarded Citizens of Ventura County, Balcom suffered work-related injuries to his right hand, elbow and wrist. Majestic Insurance, the workers' comp insurance carrier for the Foundation for the Retarded Citizens of Ventura County, accepted Balcom's claim and initiated Temporary Total Disability benefits. Balcom was being treated for his alleged injuries by an orthopedic surgeon.

After receiving information that Balcom was possibly working or that he was self-employed, Majestic Insurance requested surveillance. On April 27 and 28, 2001, Luchay & Associates Investigations videotaped Balcom reportedly performing work as a disc jockey at Wagon Wheel Bowl in Oxnard. It was confirmed with the general manager at Wagon Wheel Bowl that Balcom had been working as a disc jockey every weekend for over a year.

Balcom allegedly never disclosed to Majestic Insurance about his disc jockey activities and earnings. Balcom reportedly collected a total of $9,908.61 in Temporary Total Disability and $6,300 in earnings. Had the insurance carrier known that Balcom was working and earning money, they would have paid Balcom $120 every two weeks rather than $480.

As a result of Balcom's reported material concealment, Majestic Insurance over paid $3,600 in Temporary Total Disability benefits.

Buyer Beware

Investigators with the CDI Criminal Investigations Branch's Investigations Bureau arrested Scott D. Veitch, 35, vice president of Golf Marketing World Wide LLC.

Veitch, who is not licensed to conduct insurance business in the State of California, is accused of selling a fraudulent $100,000 insurance annuity policy. As a result of Veitch's reported actions, victim losses to date total $34,750. Veitch was booked into the Los Angeles County Jail on one count of grand theft.

Auto Fraud and Theft

Investigators with the CDI Criminal Investigations Branch's Fraud Division arrested a Modesto man on two counts of insurance fraud. If convicted, Jose Munoz could face up to five years in state prison and/or a maximum fine of $50,000.

According to investigators, on Aug. 21, 2001, Munoz reportedly submitted an automobile insurance claim with Farmers Fire Exchange for vandalism to his 1993 Mazda Miata. Munoz claimed the exterior of the vehicle was scratched and the interior seats and door panels were ripped and torn.

On Sept. 12, 2001, Farmers discovered an insurance claim from the previous owner of this same vehicle in which she had reported her vehicle stolen. Upon recovery of the vehicle, it was found that the exterior was scratched and the interior seats and door panels were ripped.

The investigation revealed that photos from a previous claim file showed the damage Munoz claimed was the exact same damage that had been reported by the previous owner and subsequently paid for by Farmers Insurance Company.