LAPD Officers Charged In Alleged Workers' Compensation Fraud Case

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Two veteran Los Angeles police officers faced fraud and other charges Thursday for allegedly stealing taxpayer funds by making phony injury claims.

KNX 1070's Brian Ping reports the charges come in the wake of an investigation by the LAPD Workers' Compensation Fraud Unit.

LAPD investigators working with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office determined that John Hall and Ralph Mendoza had provided false testimony during depositions related to their industrial injury claims.

Hall, a 19-year veteran who was last assigned to the Emergency Services Division, surrendered Wednesday in response to an arrest warrant listing four felony counts of workers compensation fraud, insurance fraud, grand theft and attempted perjury, police said.

Bail for the 45-year-old officer was set at $80,000. He is assigned to home confinement pending the outcome of the criminal and administrative investigations.

Mendoza, a 13-year veteran, was last assigned to the Hollenbeck Division patrol. He surrendered on an arrest warrant listing two felony counts of workers' compensation fraud and grand theft, according to investigators.

Mendoza, 44, who lives in San Bernardino County, was held on $40,000 bail. He has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of an investigation.

LAPD Officer Sarah Faden said the investigation's findings are troubling.

"Certainly, the public trust is at the very core of our police profession, and when that trust is violated, we must employ every measure to restore it," Faden said.

Anyone with information related to this or any other case was asked to call the LAPD's Special Operations Division at (213)473-5672.

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