Jockey Couldn’t Stay on His Steed

CDI investigators arrested Carlos Cristo, 31, of Santa Ana, Calif., on charges of insurance fraud. Cristo was arrested pursuant to a warrant issued by the Orange County Central Court and transported to Orange County Central Jail. His bail was set at $10,000.

While working as a jockey at Los Alamitos Race Course in December 1994, Cristo said he fell off a horse and injured his back. He filed a workers’ compensation claim for this accident and received medical treatments. Cristo recovered from the injury and resumed his employment as a jockey.

According to investigators, in December 1997, Cristo again fell off a horse at Los Alamitos Race Course. He sustained injuries to his forearm, hip and back for which he again filed a workers’ comp claim against his employer and received medical treatments. However, during his medical evaluations, Cristo allegedly denied any prior injury to his back.

Investigators also claim that in August 1998, Cristo returned to riding horses part-time at Los Alamitos. While riding, Cristo fell off once again—allegedly injured his back, filed a workers’ comp claim and received medical treatments for that injury while concurrently receiving treatments for his December 1997 injury. Cristo again allegedly denied any prior injuries to his back.

Cristo received Total Temporary Disability (TTD) benefits from Golden Eagle Insurance and State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) as well as money from the Jockey’s Guild and a nonprofit organization called “To Aid Disabled Jockeys.” He allegedly did not report the latter two sources of income to Golden Eagle or SCIF, from which he also received vocational rehabilitation benefits. Cristo received TTD and vocational rehabilitation benefits from Golden Eagle and SCIF in the amount of $50,000.

Topics Workers' Compensation