A Los Angeles County Fire Department captain has been charged with submitting a fraudulent long-term disability insurance claim for an injury prosecutors say could not have happened because he was not on duty at the time, the county district attorney’s office announced Friday.
Thomas Merryman, 44, allegedly defrauded Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company of more than $25,000 by submitting forged documents, including a falsified physician’s note and altered paperwork from another fire captain.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Merryman faces one felony count each of insurance fraud and false personation, as well as two felony counts of forgery.
The complaint was filed for a warrant on Aug. 8, and his arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 9 at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles. Authorities say Merryman currently resides in Georgetown, Texas.
“Fake disability claims will not be tolerated under my watch, especially by first responders charged with keeping our county safe,” District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said in a statement. “False healthcare claims drive up insurance premiums and make it harder for those with legitimate injuries to access benefits. Our message to public servants who abuse the system is clear: We are watching you.”
If convicted, Merryman faces up to five years in state prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Arunas Sodonis of the Healthcare Fraud Division. The investigation involved the District Attorney’s Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and other agencies.
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