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Central coast father and son sentenced in $400,000 workers’ comp scheme

News: 2017 Press Release

For Release: November 20, 2017
Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566
Email Inquiries: cdipress@insurance.ca.gov

Central coast father and son sentenced in $400,000 workers’ comp scheme

SALINAS, Calif. — Jaime Rosario Del Real, 61, and son Israel Del Real, 37,both pleaded guilty to four felony counts for their role in a $400,000 insurance fraud scheme denying workers' compensation insurance and medical care for injured workers.

The father and son duo were sentenced to 250 days in jail, 10 years felony probation, and ordered to pay $382,951 in restitution. This case was prosecuted by the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.

"Business owners are responsible for the safety and care of their employees," said Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. "Employers who fail to carry workers' compensation insurance or pay for the medical care for injured workers violate the law and put their employees at risk. Our detectives and the Monterey County District Attorney's team succeeded in taking another dishonest employer out of the underground marketplace."

Doing business as Del Real Produce and Packing and Del Real Packing, LLC, the Del Reals worked as farm labor contractors providing laborers for picking and packing lettuce for growers in Monterey County and Yuma Arizona. After receiving information from an insurer, Department of Insurance detectives found the Del Reals had concealed injuries their workers sustained and refused to pay for medical treatment or provide other benefits the injured workers were entitled to.

The investigation also revealed that over a five year period, the Del Reals lied more than 20 times in order to obtain reduced insurance premiums. As part of their premium theft the Del Reals kept two sets of Employment Development Division (EDD) forms, with different employees and a different number of employees listed, which allowed the Del Reals to evade paying payroll taxes.

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Media Notes:



Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.

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