California Landscapers Arraigned in Workers’ Comp Premium Fraud Scheme

Five defendants were arraigned this week on multiple felony counts of insurance fraud after a California Department of Insurance investigation found a landscaping company some of the defendants owned allegedly underreported wages to their insurer to reduce their workers’ comp premiums.

Three defendants include Antonio Martinez Resendiz, 36, of Murrieta, Ismael Martinez Resendiz, 34, of Fallbrook, and Jorge Martinez Resendiz, 32, of Temecula, owners of Green View Landscape & Tree Service Inc. in Escondido. The two additional defendants are Ariana Martinez, 34, of Murrieta, and Silvia Reyna Martinez, 34, of Temecula, supervisors within the company.

To ensure proper coverage, employers are required to accurately report employee job classifications and the amount of payroll expended. One common way employers avoid paying workers’ comp premiums is to underreport employee payroll by providing false payroll reports to their insurer.

The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.