Gilroy Woman, 25, Suspected of Fraud

A Gilroy woman was arrested on insurance fraud charges Friday.

Department of Insurance Fraud Investigators arrested Gabriela Gomez, 25, for working while receiving workers’ compensation insurance benefits.

Gomez worked for Merry Maids in Gilroy. On June 3, 1997, she slipped and fell while cleaning a shower. The fall injured her right arm and shoulder. She then filed a compensation claim with her employer’s insurer, Superior National Insurance Group.

Gomez was placed on modified work duty and later was given total temporary disability from September 18 to October 26, 1997. She returned to work after her disability period ended and remained there until July 7, 1999.

DOI fraud investigators found out that during the Oct 27th deposition, Gomez claimed she hadn’t worked from June 1997 up to that point. Further investigation revealed that Gomez was seen working at Borello Farms in Gilroy in August. After witness interrogating and reviewing Gomez’s claims, investigators determined that she was working for the farm company during the time she said she was unable to work.

Gomez was charged with two felony counts of workers' compensation insurance fraud and one felony count of perjury. Bail was set at $10,000. If convicted, she can face up to five years in state prison and possible a fine of up to $150,000 total for all three counts.