Richard Sharrah, Jr., 27, a Fresno, Calif. resident, was arrested on workers’ comp fraud charges. Investigators with CDI’s Fraud Division, charged him with four felony counts of insurance fraud.
Investigators found that Sharrah allegedly incurred a job related back injury on Oct. 9, 2001 while working for the Fresno Unified School District. The unwitnessed injury was treated by his family physician and a neurologist. Sharrah claimed that his symptoms got gradually worse after treatment and he allegedly repeatedly resisted attempts by his physician to return him back to work.
In Dec. 2001, the Worker’s Compensation Department of the Fresno Unified School District authorized a subrosa investigation on Sharrah and more than 33 hours of subrosa video was taken over 16 days in Dec. 2001, Jan. 2002, and Feb. 2002. Sharrah was shown reportedly walking, sitting, squatting, bending, standing, and lifting items while engaged in selling memorabilia and performing other daily functions without signs of discomfort.
An attorney for the Fresno Unified School District deposed Sharrah in March 2002. In the deposition, Sharrah stated that during the month of Dec. 2001, he was in constant pain, he did not have any outside income, and he could not do any lifting, bending, stand for more than 15 minutes, or walk without a limp. He allegedly spent the greater part of Dec. 2001 and Jan. 2002 in bed. Bail was set at $20,000 and Sharrah could face up to five years in state prison and a maximum fine of $50,000.
Topics Fraud
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