A former Southern California police officer who was receiving disability payments for a head injury is facing multiple charges after prosecutors say she had been going to concerts and amusement parks, playing golf and even running in races.
The former Westminster Police Department officer, identified as 39-year-old Nicole Brown of Riverside, suffered a “minor abrasion to her forehead while attempting to arrest and handcuff an uncooperative suspect,” on March 30, 2022, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office stated in a news release.
After calling out sick for several days, Brown was diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome and placed on Total Temporary Disability (TTD).
Among Brown’s complaints were headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light and noise, problems processing thoughts and words, and an inability to work on the computer or do any screentime.
The DA’s Office said that payments made while Brown was out on TTD cost the city of Westminster more than $600,000, which was given to her tax-free and also included medical expenses.
About a year later, several people who knew Brown was on disability reported seeing her dancing and drinking at the Stagecoach Music Festival amid loud music, bright lights and temperatures in excess of 100 degrees.
The ensuing investigation found that “three days after the injury, when she called out sick, Brown went to an AYSO soccer conference, in San Diego, where she attended multiple sessions where PowerPoint presentations were utilized,” the DA’s Office said.
While on disability, she is also accused of running in two 5K races, going snowboarding and/or skiing in Big Bear and Mammoth, going to three AYSO soccer conferences, attending baseball games, playing golf, going to Disneyland and taking online courses with a local university, the news release stated.
Brown has been charged with nine felony counts of making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation, six felony counts of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim, and one felony enhancement of committing an aggravated white collar crime over $100,000.
She faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in state prison if convicted on all counts, according to the DA’s Office.
Brown’s stepfather, licensed attorney Peter Gregory Schuman, 57, of Buena Park, was also charged in the case.
Schuman, who practices workers’ compensation defense for insurance companies, has been charged with one felony count of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim and one felony count of assisting, abetting, conspiring with and soliciting a person in an unlawful act.
He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison if convicted on all counts.
