California Contractors Sentenced In Insurance Fraud Case

Antonio Soruco and Carmen Hall Soruco, who owned Soruco Structures in Novato, were charged in a 21-count complaint that included felonies and misdemeanors. The prosecution said they committed workers' compensation premium fraud from October 2013 to December 2016.

Authorities also alleged they failed to report wages and withhold state income taxes from their employees from October 2013 to February 2019.

The California Department of Insurance investigated the case with the Marin County District Attorney's Office. The defendants were prosecuted in Marin County Superior Court.

Antonio Soruco pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of worker's compensation insurance fraud and one misdemeanor count of contracting without a license. Carmen Hall Soruco pleaded guilty to two felony counts of insurance compensation premium fraud and one felony count of unemployment insurance code fraud.

The sentencing was held Wednesday before Judge Beth Jordan. Antonio Soruco was placed on probation for one year, while Carmen Hall Soruco was placed on probation for two years.

Both defendants were sentenced to 120 days in jail, but the judge stayed the jail time because of the pandemic. They were ordered to pay $925,000 in restitution to the state.

When reached by phone, Soruco said the company is no longer operating and declined to comment on the case.

Hall Soruco, a Marin Housing Authority employee, has worked for the county for more than 20 years. She could not be reached for comment.

"The Marin County District Attorney's Office will continue to partner with the California Department of Insurance to identify, investigate and prosecute businesses who engage in workers' compensation premium fraud in order to gain an unfair advantage in their industry," Deputy District Attorney Sean Kensinger said.

"In this case, the insurance fraud was compounded by the defendants' failure to report almost $3.5 million in payroll to EDD," Kensinger said, referring to the state Employment Development Department.

Soruco's defense attorney, Kevin Heaney, could not be reached for comment.

Michael Coffino, the defense attorney for Hall Soruco, confirmed his client still works for the county and declined to comment on the case.

Kimberly Carroll, the head of the Marin Housing Authority, declined to say whether Hall Soruco's employment would be reviewed in light of the criminal conviction.

"We cannot discuss confidential personnel information," she said.

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