STOCKTON, Calif. — A San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office investigator is on paid leave amid allegations of fraud.
According to a news release from the district attorney’s office, potential fraud was flagged after an audit of the 2024 Auto Insurance Fraud Grant Application.
The district attorney’s office says the audit found an investigator within the office was allegedly falsifying timesheet information to justify the office’s receipt of grant funds.
The investigator told them they had done it at the ‘urging’ of the prior district attorney’s office administration.
District Attorney Ron Freitas began auditing the Auto Insurance Fraud Grant Program in 2017 and asked the San Joaquin County Auditor’s Office to conduct its own audit, too.
“We pledge to cooperate fully with the California Department of Insurance, the Office of the Attorney General and the San Joaquin County Auditor’s Office, to ascertain any wrongdoing, and return any monies that were fraudulently received by this Office via the Auto Insurance Fraud Grant Program,” said Freitas. “As soon as the alleged fraud was uncovered, we notified the California Department of Insurance, along with the Office of the Attorney General, in order to help correct the wrong that was committed and ensure that our Office is run with the highest ethical standards.”
The Auto Insurance Fraud Grant Program would give money to district attorney’s offices across the state to cover attorney’s fees, investigators, paralegals and other costs as it related to investigating and prosecuting auto insurance fraud.
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