Woman Pleads Guilty to Felony Charge

Sandra Canas, a resident of Daly City, California, pleaded guilty on May 11 to a felony charge of workers’ compensation insurance fraud. Canas was arrested on Nov. 10, 2004 by investigators from the California Department of Insurance Fraud Department for receiving income while receiving workers’ comp benefits and misrepresenting her level of disability to her doctor. Canas is barred from receiving any workers’ comp benefits, or from re-opening this case. Canas is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 17, when the judge could order full restitution and up to one year in jail.

The San Mateo County District Attorney’s office prosecuted the case, which was jointly investigated by the CDI Fraud Division and Keenan & Associates.

Canas, who was an employee of South San Francisco Unified School District at the time of the original work injury, was hired and paid as a housekeeper during the period she was receiving disability payments and did not notify her claims adjuster at the Redwood City branch of Keenan & Associates.