A former California police officer is facing a lawsuit from the city of Westminster after allegedly collecting $600,000 in disability payments while enjoying luxury vacations to Disneyland and music festivals. The city is seeking to recover all the funds that Nicole Brown obtained through fraudulent means.
Nicole Brown, who had been with the Westminster Police Department since 2019, claimed she suffered a minor head injury during an arrest in 2022 and took an extended leave, citing post-concussion syndrome as the reason for her inability to work. However, she was later spotted partying at the Stagecoach music festival, contradicting her claims of being incapacitated.
The city of Westminster is determined to hold Brown accountable for breaching the public’s trust and recover the unlawfully obtained funds. Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen emphasized the importance of protecting taxpayer dollars and supporting genuinely injured employees. The city is committed to ensuring that fraud is not tolerated within its ranks.
In addition to attending music festivals and other leisure activities, Brown ran two 5K races, visited Disneyland, and pursued an online master’s degree while on disability leave. Prosecutors have charged her with multiple counts of making fraudulent statements to obtain compensation and insurance benefits, as well as committing an aggravated white-collar crime over $100,000. If convicted, she could face up to 22 years in prison.
Brown’s stepfather, Peter Gregory Schuman, who is an attorney specializing in workers’ compensation, assisted her in carrying out the alleged scheme. He faces charges related to the fraud and could also lose his license to practice law if found guilty.
The city of Westminster is adamant about holding both Brown and Schuman accountable for their actions and recovering the funds obtained through deceit. The case serves as a reminder that fraudulent behavior will not be tolerated, especially when it involves betraying the public’s trust and misusing taxpayer money.
