LA Civilian Employee Convicted for Workers’ Comp Fraud

A former Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) civilian employee plead no contest to one count of felony insurance fraud for allegedly filing a false workers’ comp claim.

Richard Montellano Argomaniz was arrested following an investigation by the CDI’s Fraud Division that alleged he falsely claimed he was disabled from injuries he sustained to his back and right arm in a work-related accident in 1999.

The Los Angeles County Department of Human Resources hired a private investigation company to investigate the claim. A surveillance video showed Argomaniz working for STOVACT Inc. during the same periods he received benefits from his workers’ comp claim.

Argomaniz testified in a deposition that he was presently a STOVACT employee, but asserted that he did not begin working until after he resigned his position with the county and ceased receiving workers’ comp benefits.

Benefits received were in excess of $9,000 and included Temporary Total Disability (TTD), Industrial Accident earnings and salary continuation benefits; all from Los Angeles County and the LASD while Argomaniz was unable to work.

Argomaniz was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution of $2,880 to Los Angeles County.