Orange County District Attorney Press Release

For Immediate Release: August 21, 2014

Case# 14CF2661

EMPLOYEE TO BE ARRAIGNED FOR CASHING DISABILITY CHECKS UNDER FALSE PRETENSE OF BEING UNABLE TO WORK

*Defendant was continuing to work and lied under oath

SANTA ANA – An employee for a building remodeling company is scheduled to be arraigned today for cashing in disability checks under the false pretense of being unable to work. Angel Monzon, 51, Santa Ana, is charged with 24 felony counts of insurance fraud, seven felony counts of perjury under oath, and four felony counts of making fraudulent statements. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in state prison. He is being held on $39,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned today in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana. The time is to be determined.

On April 19, 2010, Monzon worked as a granite installer for Fermol Inc. in Huntington Beach. While working, Monzon lost his balance and fell while carrying a large piece of granite, which broke and landed on the defendant’s right thigh and knee. Monzon was placed on temporary total disability (TTD).

He is accused of receiving over $24,000 from TTD benefits. Monzon is accused of reporting to doctors that he was unable to work as a result of the injuries he suffered and has limited physical abilities.

Despite claiming his injury prevented him from working, Monzon is accused of resuming work as a granite installer and collecting an income from a new job while illegally continuing to accept disability benefits.

On Aug. 1, 2012, Monzon’s original employer reported to the insurance company that the defendant had resumed working for himself or another company in a similar line of work. The defendant is accused of never returning to work for Fermol Inc.

On Jan. 30, 2013, Monzon is accused of lying under oath by falsely stating the following in a deposition: claiming to not have worked since the date of the injury; his sole income came from TTD benefits; the last date he worked was on April 11, 2012; not performing any activities involving granite since the date of the injury; not loading or unloading any granite since the date of the injury; not lifting anything over five pounds since the date of the injury; and not using a grinder, sander, or buffer since the date of the injury.

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) began investigating this case after receiving video surveillance footage of the defendant working on manual labor projects similar to those performed prior to his injury. Monzon is accused of being paid over $54,000 working for a new business while illegally receiving and cashing disability checks. He was arrested by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department yesterday, Aug. 20, 2014.

CDI investigated this case. Deputy District Attorney Pamela Leitao of the Insurance Fraud Unit is prosecuting this case.

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Tony Rackauckas, District Attorney
401 Civic Center Drive West
Santa Ana, CA 92701

Contacts:

Susan Kang Schroeder
Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718

Farrah Emami
Director of Public Affairs
Office: 714-347-8405
Cell: 714-323-4486