Four people have been charged with the biggest workers' compensation insurance fraud case in U.S. history.
Prosecutors allege that Carter Lee Pendergrass, his son Joshua both of Palm Springs, California and Phil Cassidy and his wife Karen of San Bernardino, have each been charged with 107 counts of felony insurance fraud.
Carter Pendergrass and Phil Cassidy are believed to have owned a construction company under several names. According to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, the two other defendants assisted in deliberately under-reporting wages to their workers' compensation insurance companies and to the California Employment Development Department, which collects state payroll taxes.
The four allegedly worked together to conceal the companies' claim history to unlawfully reduce their workers' compensation premiums and state unemployment taxes. In addition, they ripped off State Compensation Insurance Fund and Redwood Fire & Casualty Company of millions of dollars by misclassifying their employees.
The four are in custody on bail of six million dollars each.
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