A former police officer in Orange County is facing serious charges after allegedly faking a disability to collect more than half a million dollars in workers’ compensation.
Nicole Brown, once with the Westminster Police Department, is now charged with multiple felonies for lying about a traumatic brain injury that prosecutors say never existed.
In March 2022, Brown reported suffering an injury while on duty. She told her department she had a brain injury that left her unable to work. According to investigators, she claimed to be sensitive to light and sound, unable to use a computer, and stuck in a dark room. Despite this, she was later seen drinking and dancing at a popular music festival, skiing on mountain slopes, running a 5K race, and visiting Disneyland.
Authorities say her behavior raised red flags among people who knew she was on full disability. That led to a formal investigation by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, which eventually uncovered what they believe was a carefully planned fraud scheme.
The case takes a deeper turn with the involvement of Brown’s stepfather, Peter Gregory Schuman. He’s a licensed attorney who specializes in workers’ compensation defense. Prosecutors say he helped guide Brown through the scam, representing her during meetings with her department and her case manager, and falsely describing her condition. All the while, Brown was pursuing a fully online master’s degree — a detail that contradicts her claims about not being able to look at screens.
Brown is now charged with 15 felonies, including submitting false claims and lying to obtain insurance benefits. Her stepfather is also facing charges for helping plan and carry out the fraud. If convicted, he could spend up to eight years in prison, while Brown could face up to 22 years behind bars.
The case has sparked outrage from officials who say public trust has been damaged. Authorities say the misuse of disability claims not only steals taxpayer money but also takes resources away from people who truly need help. Brown’s fall from law enforcement to facing decades in prison has become a high-profile example of how fraud can be uncovered in the most unexpected ways.