Milpitas Man Charged with Workers’ Comp Fraud

2012-01-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

Santa Clara County prosecutors have charged a 56-year-old Milpitas landscape company owner with underreporting employees’ wages between 2007 and 2010 in order to fraudulently reduce his workers’ compensation insurance premium and employment tax obligations.
Examiner
San JoseMercury News

Crime Bureau: Fraud Costs $5 Billion Annually

2012-01-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

The National Insurance Crime Bureau estimates workers' compensation insurance fraud, which occurs when either an employer or an employee provides false or misleading information to their insurance company, costs insurance providers more than $5 billion a year.

Scranton Times-Tribune

San Bernardino D.A., CSLB Team Up Against Fraud

2012-01-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

The San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office Workers’ Compensation Fraud Prosecution Unit has partnered with the California Contractors State License Board’s Statewide Investigative Fraud Team to ensure that contractors and those engaged in home improvement and construction have the proper workers’ compensation insurance coverage and licensure for the job. Fontana Herald News

Click here for full story

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

2011-07-04T12:50:00.000-07:00

We’d like to share a moving rendition of America, The Beautiful performed by Ray Charles

States Cracking Down on Work Comp Fruad

2011-07-04T12:42:00.001-07:00

Read the full story here.

KimKins photo comparisons

2007-12-05T07:16:00.000-08:00

I took a look at the kimkins.com website and found it quite interesting, the contrast between her "current" photo and the photos that I had obtained of her. If you look at the before and after photos she has posted, she is thinner in the after photo. If you compare the before photo to the photos that I obtained of her, she is much larger. I guess she just can't help herself. She has to continue in the activities that she is accustomed to. Her site is certainly lacking from the endorsements and sponsors that were on the site, now that the truth has revealed what she has been up to.

Private Investigator's Notes: The Surveillance of Southern California Diet Scammer Heidi Diaz of Kimkins

2007-10-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

I have been a private investigator in Riverside County, California for many years and have seen a lot of scams and fraudulent activities throughout those years. This one is quite different in that it has involved thousands of real people so desperate in their search for a "real" diet that works.

During my involvement with this case, I have read so many stories from people that have been hurt by an evil woman with no regard for the feeling or health of real human beings.

Maybe this woman does not feel that she is actually hurting people since she just sits in her apartment all day long typing away at the keyboard.

I began this investigation with a bad address and no other information other than the name of Heidi Kimberly Diaz.

Through investigative techniques, I was able to locate Ms. Diaz's address. I attempted making contact with her at the front door to positively identify her. No one would come to the door. I looked down and observed a small trash bucket at the front entry door with Kimkins receipts facing up. This was the confirmation I needed that this was indeed the correct address.

During the several days spent on surveillance, I observed Ms. Diaz out of the apartment twice. She was usually seated at a window on her computer. I remember thinking "what a strange woman", just sitting at the computer all day long creating diet schemes to take money from people who have placed their hopes in her hands to help them lose weight.

I passed by her vehicle one day and noticed a tray of sugar cookies with sprinkles just recently opened and sitting on the passenger seat of her mini van. This from a woman telling other people to eat 500 to 800 calories a day all the while she is taking in much much more than that.

The first day out, Ms. Diaz drove to a local gas station and returned to her residence. She sat inside her vehicle for a half hour while talking on the cell phone. (Probably talking to a customer.) The video was short since Ms. Diaz did not engage in much activity. I was determined to obtain quality photo shots for my client and prepared for continuing surveillance.

Days went by and boredom crept in. I would exit my vehicle to walk through the apartment complex to stretch and get fresh air. While walking passed Ms. Diaz's apartment unit, I would look up and notice her in the window on the second level of the building. She would look down and smile while seated near at the window, typing away on her computer. I found it strange that a woman would sit at an open window without her wig, being that Heidi is bald.

From time to time, I would notice Brandon, Heidi's son exit the unit to leave with friends that would not come near the apartment. I figured that either Brandon is not allowed to have friends over or Brandon's friends would rather not visit inside the apartment unit. Brandon and Heidi were the only two people ever observed entering or departing from the apartment.

The day finally came! Tuesday, August 14, 2007. Heidi finally emerges to depart from the area driving her mini van. The sweet thing that all investigators hope for while on surveillance...movement! I followed Ms. Diaz to a local mail drop where Kimkins customers send their mail. The sweet sweet sound, click click click of the camera as Ms. Diaz exited the vehicle to enter the mail drop. I say sweet sound only because this meant that the final moment had come. The ending of surveillance on a case of such drawn out inactivity. The clicking continued on as Ms. Diaz returned to her vehicle to depart with mail in hand.

She immediately drove to a local Norco bank to, I would assume, deposit fresh checks she had picked up at the mail drop from unknowing victims of deceit and fraud.

After making the deposit, Ms. Diaz drove to a local CVS Pharmacy. I found this a great opportunity to follow Ms. Diaz in with a hidden camera to obtain as much movement as possible just to add the finishing touch to a much anticipated ending.

Ms. Diaz drove home afterward and the sweet sound began again to end the day.

This is the story of how I obtained the video and photos of Heidi Diaz.

I would like to thank Catherine McDonald for her kindness and for the wonderful job she did with our website. I highly recommend Catherine if you are in need of a quality website and great search engine recognition.

Catherine and I have had an ongoing business relationship during the past couple of months and I have never worked with anyone so kind and gracious. She is truly a wonderful person.

Thank you Martin at Slamboard.com for bringing this whole thing together and for the recognition that you provided our business.

I am very impressed with Jeannessa. She has brought together a team of well recognized attorneys and press.

I met with Chip Yost the other day. He is a reporter with KTLA. We interviewed for about an hour. Chip has been really moving on this matter and is leaving no tables unturned. Thank you Chip.

Congratulations to the blogging community for their unwavering determination to bring justice to this matter. What a great bunch of people!