A former Santa Clara police officer has been charged with worker's comp fraud for faking an injury in order to receive disability payments.
Kenneth Henderson, 53, claimed he got injured while picking up a stack of five traffic cones on October 2015. Following the injury, he was put on permanent disability and retired in 2016.
His wife, Mandy Henderson, a former Santa Clara County Sheriff's lieutenant, was arrested and convicted year ago for a similar felony.
After retirement, Henderson continued to get paid treatment by the city of Santa Clara.
"Those involved in this type of fraud are stealing from a system intended to help law enforcement officers who are seriously injured while protecting the public," said Deputy District Attorney Vonda Tracey.
On July 2019, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office began an investigation after an insurance carrier claimed Henderson was seen at a 24 Hour Fitness in Las Vegas exercising rigorous workouts. Both him and his wife competed as body builders.
The couple was captured on surveillance video as the wife was being investigated by the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department.
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After reviewing Henderson's insurance documents, medical records, and surveillance video, it was revealed that he exaggerated his injury.
Henderson will be arranged Wednesday at the Hall of Justice in San Jose and faces incarceration if convicted.
