A former California cop who allegedly collected $600,000 on full disability leave while taking luxury vacations to Disneyland and music festivals must pay back the entirety of the funds she ripped off, the city alleges.
The city of Westminster announced Wednesday that they are suing Nicole Brown to hold the former officer “accountable for this [breach] of public trust” and “recover all of the funds,” KTLA reported.
“The lawsuit seeks repayment of all disability and medical payments, benefits, and other funds unlawfully obtained by Brown; and seeks to recover costs associated with investigation and prosecution of the lawsuit,” the city said.
The charges come after Brown, who had been with the Westminster Police Department since 2019, suffered a minor head abrasion during an arrest in 2022 and used the injury to take a several-year-long leave — but was seen partying at the Stagecoach music festival, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
Three days after the festival, Brown appeared on a Zoom meeting about her health in a darkened room and told Westminster police officials she was unable to look at the screen without discomfort.
The city said that Brown claimed she suffered “post-concussion syndrome,” which caused her headaches, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Westminster Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen slammed the former cop for betraying the public’s trust and said the city owes it to its citizens and “honest, hard-working officers” to “recover these funds.”
“Our residents count on us to protect their taxpayer dollars and ensure that employees who are actually injured receive the support they need to recover. Fraud will not be tolerated in Westminster,” Nguyen said.
In May, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office claimed the alleged malingerer maintained an active lifestyle during her long work hiatus.
Prosecutors claim she visited Disneyland, ran two 5K races, went on a skiing or snowboarding trip, attended soccer and baseball games, and pursued an online master’s degree while collecting the hefty $600,000 through her full, tax-free salary — in addition to her medical expenses.
Brown has been charged with nine counts of making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation, six counts of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim, and one felony enhancement of committing an aggravated white collar crime over $100,000.
If convicted, she faces up to 22 years in prison.
The 39-year-old also received help in conceiving the alleged scheme from her stepfather, Peter Gregory Schuman — an attorney who practices in workers’ compensation.
Schuman, 57, “did all the talking” for Brown in meetings with Westminster PD officials and oversaw his stepdaughter’s admission into an inpatient center for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, prosecutors said.
Schuman is charged with two felonies linked to the alleged scheme that carry a maximum of eight years in state prison, the release stated.
He could also face the loss of his license to practice law if found guilty.
