A former Bay Area sheriff’s deputy flexed a little too hard.
Jorden Faatiga, a 35-year-old former San Mateo County deputy sheriff, pleaded no contest to workers’ compensation fraud after authorities said he pocketed $62,000 in disability benefits while secretly crushing workouts at the gym.
Prosecutors said Faatiga submitted false paperwork claiming an on-duty elbow injury left him unable to work. He collected tens of thousands of dollars in workers’ compensation benefits before surveillance footage allegedly caught him powering through “intense gym workouts,” according to KTVU.
Faatiga worked as a San Mateo County deputy sheriff from 2022 to 2025.
His pay also ballooned during his time with the department. After earning about $92,000 in 2022, Faatiga’s annual compensation climbed to more than $293,000 within three years, according to GovSalaries. Workers’ compensation benefits are not included in standard public salary databases.
This comes after a Los Angeles police officer was also charged with fraud for working out while collecting disability benefits in February.
Christopher Brandon Carnahan, an 18-year LAPD veteran, was charged with felony insurance fraud after being spotted skydiving and at a fitness center while claiming to have hurt his elbow.
“This case is about honest and accountability. Claiming to be temporarily totally disabled and collecting disability benefits intended for injured workers while engaging in physically demanding activities like skydiving is a crime,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement at the time.
Two married Tustin police officers were also charged over false workers’ compensation claims in 2023.
The couple claimed they both suffered chronic back pain and collected over $180,000 but were caught mountain biking and boating during a vacation trip.
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