Heriberto Baez thought he was getting a free payday, but a secret surveillance team from the California Department of Insurance was watching his every move.
The 39-year-old Ventura resident is facing serious felony charges after allegedly faking a debilitating workplace injury.
Baez claimed he suffered a shoulder injury from a fall and cumulative trauma to his lower back while working for a plastering company owned by a family member. He told insurance adjusters he was essentially incapacitated, claiming he hadn't worked a day since the incident and suffered from significant physical limitations.
The problem? Detectives caught him on video doing the exact opposite. While Baez was telling insurance companies he was in constant pain, investigators filmed him performing "physically demanding labor." Surveillance footage allegedly captured him lifting heavy plaster bags, painting, bending, and jumping in and out of truck beds with ease.
He is now accused of attempting to swindle more than $62,000 in benefits and making false statements under oath during a deposition. Baez was arraigned this week in the Ventura County Superior Court, where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony workers' compensation insurance fraud and one count of felony attempted perjury.
Despite the gravity of the charges, Baez is currently walking free on his own recognizance. His next major court date, an early disposition conference, is set for June 12, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 12.