Judge convicts bus driver for falsely obtaining workers' comp benefits

Rick Rossi, 60, a full-time school bus driver employed with Cabrillo Unified School District, was convicted of two felony counts of insurance fraud and sentenced to three years of felony probation. He was convicted of one count of workers’ compensation insurance fraud and a second count for auto insurance fraud.

A San Mateo County judge found him guilty of making false and fraudulent material statements for obtaining workers’ compensation benefits. Rossi was ordered 60 days in county jail to start no later than Sept. 14, 2019, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $60,000 to his employer for temporary disability payments and medical benefits.

Rossi alleged that he had sustained an injury to his right eye which caused him to have severe pain, headaches and loss of vision. He also stated he was not able to drive his vehicle due to his injury. The claims examiner for the district’s administrator, Keenan & Associates, referred the file to Regency Investigations to conduct an investigation due to the many discrepancies in medical reports and statements by Rossi.

“The complaints from Rick Rossi in the medical reports did not reveal any medical evidence based upon his complaints,” Stacey Gunn, Keenan & Associates assistant vice president who is responsible for leading its SIU/Fraud unit, among other responsibilities, said in an email. “He alleged he was having migraines and double vision but all of the test[s] did not indicate it was so and was all normal. It appeared all of the complaints were exaggerated.”

Related: Two Chicago women plead guilty to $1.7 million workers’ comp fraud

Insightful investigation

The surveillance investigation revealed Rossi’s participation in shooting a weapon at long distances while looking through a scope, hitting his targets and driving without any restrictions. The claim was then submitted to Keenan’s Special Investigation Unit for submission to the Department of Insurance and the San Mateo County District Attorney’s office.

“During the initial surveillance, Rick Rossi spotted and identified the investigator was following him at which time Rossi ran into his house and returned with a gun case (rifle) and pointed it at our investigator. Our investigator immediately left in front of Rossi’s house and then Rossi jumped into his car and proceeded to follow our investigator,” said Gunn, adding that Rossi lied under oath when asked about the ability to operate a motor vehicle and shoot a gun.

The case number is 18-NF-009704-A.

Related: Real or fake? Revealing workers’ compensation fraud