A former reality show star has become the latest C-list celebrity to suffer the consequences of committing insurance fraud.
Anita Maxwell, who was featured in season four of the WE Network’s series “Bridezillas,” surrendered herself to the Superior Court in Los Angeles County last week on 14 felony counts associated with insurance fraud.
According to the investigation by the state’s Department of Insurance, the 55-year-old Maxwell submitted fraudulent documents and made false claims about an injury in order to collect $40,000 in workers’ compensation benefits.
Maxwell allegedly claimed she injured her neck, back and shoulder in 2012 while working with a patient in the California clinic where she was a partner. However, she apparently lied to her doctor, denying she had any such injuries while collecting workers’ comp payments.
She also submitted false mileage forms documenting supposed travel to and from various doctors and physical therapy appointments. Surveillance, however, showed Maxwell commuting to locations other than those she reported to her insurer. The falsified forms reportedly earned her more than $5,000 in mileage reimbursement, the Department of Insurance said.
WE is owned by AMC Networks, and is similar in programming to VH1.
It does not appear to be Maxwell’s first use of workers’ compensation funds, either. According to the CDI, she received $20,000 from similar claims for multiple injuries dating back to 1990.
Maxwell kept this from her current doctor, however, causing the apportionment and disability amounts relating to her current “injuries” to be heightened. Had the doctor known of the former “Bridezilla’s” past injuries, it would have lowered her claim to only 25% related to her work injury.
“Taking advantage of the workers’ compensation system is not only illegal, but costly to all Californians who pay for this fraud through higher premiums,” California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said. “These types of fraudulent claims are an insult to legitimately injured workers.”
Maxwell joins the company of 27-year-old Leroy Barnes, an actor who played a dancing hamster in several Kia car commercials and who was also accused of collecting workers’ compensation benefits after exaggerating a work injury.
Her case is currently being prosecuted by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
