Release Date: December 14, 2007

Contact:

Senior Deputy District Attorney Ernesto J. Acosta

(805) 662-1702

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that Lidia Salazar (DOB 08/03/67) was sentenced by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Bruce A. Clark to four months in the Ventura County jail following Salazar's conviction for workers compensation insurance fraud. The District Attorney's Workers Compensation Fraud Unit obtained the conviction following a tip from the insurance carrier. The defendant pled guilty to one count of felony workers compensation insurance fraud.

As part of her plan to obtain workers compensation benefits, the defendant lied about previous injuries and workers compensation claims. One of the previous claims filed by the defendant was filed using a false social security number. Before the fraud was discovered, the insurance carrier had incurred over $25,000 in payments made to the defendant and other costs.

Judge Clark placed the defendant on probation for a term of 60 months. Additionally, Judge Clark ordered the defendant to serve 120 days in Ventura County jail, to pay Zenith Insurance Company the sum of $25,898, to pay substantial fines, fees and court costs, to consent to a search of her person, and not to enter or remain in the United States illegally.