False mileage claims alleged in insurance fraud case

Aug. 25--The woman charged with 36 felony counts of insurance fraud allegedly made false mileage claims about trips she made to physicians, according to the state Department of Insurance.

Melissa Carson, scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Sutter County Superior Court, filed a worker's compensation injury claim when she worked in Nevada City, according to Allison Castro, a spokeswoman for the state agency.

"As part of her medical claim, Carson sought treatment from physicians located in the Sacramento area. From October 2014 through July 2015, Carson submitted numerous mileage reimbursement claims to the insurer to cover the costs of her travel to visit the physicians," Castro said in an email.

The Department of Insurance Fraud Division reviewed the claims and found "Carson allegedly submitted fraudulent mileage reimbursement claims showing that she drove more miles than she actually drove for medical appointments," Castro said.

"As a result of the alleged fraudulent misrepresentations, the insurance carrier paid Carson monies that she was not entitled to."

District Attorney Amanda Hopper, in an email, said the false claims amount to more than $3,400.

Hopper said Sutter County is prosecuting the case as part of multi-jurisdictional Worker's Compensation Fraud Unit headquartered in the Yolo County District Attorney's Office.

The unit handles worker's comp fraud cases in Yolo, Sutter, Yuba and Colusa counties.

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