A Fresno County man has been indicted on mail fraud charges for allegedly submitting over $300,000 in falsified disability claims using the stolen identities of living and deceased farmworkers. (GV Wire File)
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Leonel Hernandez, 51, of Parlier, faces serious charges in what prosecutors say was a years-long scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department by submitting false disability claims using the names of deceased and active farm laborers, the Department of Justice reported in a Tuesday news release.
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The DOJ said that Hernandez was indicted on eight counts of mail fraud. Hernandez, who worked as a supervisor for a Sanger-based farm labor contractor, is accused of falsifying claims between March 2017 and October 2020.
Court documents outline how Hernandez allegedly used identities of individuals he knew, including farmworkers from Sanger and Fresno, as well as some who had been dead.
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Prosecutors say he forged physician signatures on disability forms, falsely certifying that these doctors had conducted examinations and attested to medical conditions that qualified claimants for disability benefits.
According to officials, Hernandez submitted at least 20 falsified claims by mail, causing losses estimated at more than $300,000.
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If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the DOJ.
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