FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 9, 2025
CONTACT: Christine Cordon, City Manager
(714) 548-3178, ccordon@westminster-ca.gov
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WESTMINSTER, Calif. – The City of Westminster has filed a civil lawsuit against a former police officer who was charged with 15 felonies for committing worker’s compensation insurance fraud.
The Westminster City Council voted unanimously to seek to recover all of the funds — over $600,000 — as well as hold the officer accountable for this breech of public trust. The City of Westminster filed the lawsuit on July 8, 2025, naming Nicole Brown of Riverside.
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 Orange County District Attorney’s office announced Brown was charged with 15 felony counts and one felony enhancement. Peter Gregory Schuman of Buena Park -- a licensed workers’ compensation attorney and Brown’s stepfather -- was charged with two felony counts, for making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim and assisting Brown, the Orange County District Attorney’s office stated.
Brown suffered an abrasion to her forehead while on the job on March 21, 2022, while attempting to arrest an uncooperative suspect. She was examined by an emergency room doctor and released back to work without restrictions, the Orange County District Attorney’s office stated. Several days later she was diagnosed with severe concussion syndrome and placed on Total Temporary Disability.
It was later discovered that while on disability, Brown had been skiing and/or snowboarding, competed in 5K races, attended conferences, played golf, took online university classes, went to Disneyland, and was seen dancing at the Stagecoach Music Festival. The Orange County District Attorney charged that Brown did not describe the true nature of her medical conditions to allow herself to be off work and to be paid disability benefits.
“This former police officer has betrayed the public trust. We owe it to our residents and to the honest, hard-working officers in our police department to seek to recover these funds,” said Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen. “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.”
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