California Officer Faces Criminal Proceedings over Workman's Comp Fraud

Sacramento, CAA California correctional officer is facing fraud charges stemming from a workman's comp claim relating to a 2008 injury.

In his claim, John Smiley, 44, stated that a recent parolee recognized him while he was exiting a restaurant in April 2008. The ex-convict allegedly opened fire on the officer, paralyzing him from the waist down.

The state was prepared to hand the officer a settlement of nearly $2.5 million, according to the Associated Press. However, an incident report revealed that Smiley's paralysis was actually the result of an altercation outside a swingers club where the officer and his wife had been engaging in sex with strangers, reports the Sacramento Bee.

The gunman remains at large.

Smiley and his wife, who now face five felony counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, recently appeared in court for their arraignment.

The Sacramento District Attorney's Office claims that the State Compensation Insurance Fund (SCIF) has saved a lot of money by catching the fraudulent activity.

"The approximate grand total expense for SCIF would have been $2,442,142.00," an SCIF investigative report says. "However, SCIF has spent $6,500.00 in investigative cost."