Fraudcraft

Teena
  • 4.0 (3)
  • True Crime

Join host Teena every week as she takes you into the world of FraudcraftTM, the billion-dollar underground economy created inside the industry of commercial insurance, most notably, California workers’ compensation, by the tradecraft of fraud syndicatesTM, their predatory tactics against people who they hook, buy & sell like human cash crops in capping schemes.    Each week you’ll get in-depth discussions and interviews with other subject matter experts, thought leaders and angel disruptors, business owners, employees, prosecutors, applicant and defense attorneys, investigators, medical and legal providers, in discussing & sharing lessons of FraudcraftTM , industry leadership influence, and the trajectory of the future with AI. Here we promote the innovative mindset for scalable solutions.    FraudcraftTM is your ticket to see the inside of these schemes, a landscape once controlled by restricted access.    This is the podcast I wish existed when I first began my career. These are the people who have cracked the code on what they love & sharing their craft to help others. Here we shout cheers to the wisdom of passion, innovation, solutions, creations, evolution, revolution, invention, inspiration & the celebration of us all.    *FraudcraftTM is a term coined by Teena in identifying the sources and methods of organized fraud criminals in commercial insurance fraud and the study of the criminology and victimology of these organize fraud schemes.    Subscribe and follow our community and join us in simply having fun together.

  1. California Workers' Comp Voucher Fraud Exposed: The $64M Annual Scam Nobody's Talking About

    6d ago

    California Workers' Comp Voucher Fraud Exposed: The $64M Annual Scam Nobody's Talking About

    Karen Johnson - Voucher Fraud - Series Part 1 California's workers' comp system gives injured workers $11,000 to restart their careers. Fraud syndicates found out — and turned it into a $64 million-a-year scheme involving fake schools, forged signatures, and claimants who never set foot in a classroom. Karen Johnson spent a decade as the lone investigator screaming about it, and almost no one was listening. [03:11] — What is voucher fraud? Karen breaks down the SJDB benefit, the $6K trust fund, and why so many providers are desperate to get on a claim. [13:19] — The moment she called insurance carriers to report fraud — and they told her it wasn't their problem. Why that response is exactly why fraud explodes. [21:27] — Karen gets pushed out of her state job for pursuing voucher cases too aggressively. Then $22M in criminal convictions proved she was right all along. [36:33] — The schools charging $6,000 to teach someone how to turn on a computer. Dead claimants still being billed. Signatures cut off settlement docs and taped onto enrollment forms. [44:44] — Karen's 10-year estimate puts voucher fraud at $64 million per year — a number not captured in any broader insurance fraud statistics. Karen Johnson is the nation's foremost expert on SJDB voucher fraud in California workers' comp. She spent five years at the Bureau for Private Post-Secondary Education building cases against fraudulent counselors and schools. 27 providers charged. 56 people facing over 400 felony counts. And 50% are still operating under a new name. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode — it's free. 👍 Hit LIKE if this opened your eyes. 💬 Drop your questions and thoughts in the comments — we read them all. 🤝 Join our community and be part of the conversation. [fraudcraftpodcast@gmail.com] 🎧 Watch or listen to Fraudcraft wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show

    54 min
  2. Fake Schools. Ghost Students. Forged Signatures. $64m a year fraud scheme in California Workers comp

    6d ago

    Fake Schools. Ghost Students. Forged Signatures. $64m a year fraud scheme in California Workers comp

    Voucher Fraud Series Part 2  Karen Johnson is the foremost expert in California's most overlooked fraud — SJDB voucher and counseling school fraud — and she's back on Fraudcraft to break it all down. In this episode, Karen pulls back the curtain on how fraud syndicates use vocational retraining vouchers as a weapon: dangling the $6,000 benefit (plus $5,000 in state RTW funds) to lure injured workers, pressure insurance carriers into faster settlements, and funnel kickbacks through a coordinated network of fraudster applicant attorneys, corrupt counselors, and doctors who certify workers as unable to return to work — keeping them trapped in the scheme. The most staggering stat Karen shares: roughly 75% of injured workers get enrolled in these counseling and retraining programs but NEVER attend — yet the insurance carrier was billed in full and never got the money back. Those costs are passed to employers. And then to you, the consumer. Karen has uncovered schools operating out of mailbox stores, dead claimants enrolled in cosmetology programs, forged DocuSign signatures, and a counseling school CEO facing 31 felony counts. This is syndicate-level fraud — and Karen has been fighting it alone for over a decade. 🎧 Watch or listen to Fraudcraft wherever you get your podcasts. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode — it's free 👍 Hit LIKE if this opened your eyes 💬 Drop your questions and thoughts in the comments  🤝 Join our community and be part of the conversation #fraudcraft #fraud #fraudalert #fraudprevention #fraudschemes #fraudinvestigation #businessstrategy #crimeinvestigation #workcomp #workerscomp #caworkerscomp #law #lawenforcement #california #money #followthemoney #insurancetips #insurancefraud Support the show

    46 min
  3. They're Cashing In Every Time You File a Claim — Inside the Fraud Machine Draining California Dry

    Jun 14

    They're Cashing In Every Time You File a Claim — Inside the Fraud Machine Draining California Dry

    What's in this episode: Rich Duffy went from landscaping to baby claims adjuster to one of the most respected SIU investigators in the country — the path was anything but straight Why networking is the #1 weapon in fraud investigation — and why 1,000 LinkedIn connections means nothing if you never use them The California workers' comp system is its own beast: ancillary service fraud (interpreters, copy services, DME, voucher schools) is where the real money is being stolen A $6,000 return-to-work voucher sounds small — until data shows one billing code costing $10 million a year with 60-70% of it going to fraud Attorneys filing workers' comp claims on clients who were just fired — without the client's knowledge — to fund their PI practice on the other side The SIBTF (Subsequent Injury Benefit Trust Fund) exploded from $5M to $100M in payouts — and almost no one is watching it Fraudster attorneys get a perpetual cut of SIBTF payments for as long as the claimant lives. Let that sink in. The AI arms race: insurance carriers operate with guardrails. Fraudsters don't. Rich breaks down exactly why that gap is terrifying Patients aren't patients anymore — they're widgets. Rich explains the economics behind why some doctors make more on kickbacks than on treatment Latino and immigrant communities are being specifically targeted by fraud rings — often by members of their own community who know exactly how to exploit cultural trust in licensed professionals The future SIU investigator is part detective, part data analyst, part AI trainer — and Rich tells you what that actually looks like in practice Why prosecutors keep losing fraud cases — and what has to change for juries to actually care 🎙️ New episodes drop weekly — subscribe so you never miss a guest. If this opened your eyes, hit LIKE — it's the single biggest thing you can do to help this show reach the people who need it most. Drop a comment below — What surprised you most? What do you want Teena to dig into next? We read every one. 🔔 Hit the bell to get notified the moment a new episode goes live Support the show

    2h 2m

  4. Jun 12

    CA Workers' Comp Fraud Syndicates are Harder to Catch Than the Mafia. Here's Why

    They don't have a boss. They don't have a chain of command. Half of them have never met each other — and that's exactly how it's designed. San Bernardino Deputy DA Michael Chiriatti breaks down why California's workers' comp fraud networks are deliberately fragmented — multiple hubs, multiple spokes, rabbits at the bottom of rabbit holes who don't even know other rabbit holes exist. One colonel over here, another major over there, separate armies, no shared map. That's not a flaw in their operation. That's the strategy. And it's why investigators can't just find the top and work down. 🎙️ Full episode on Fraudcraft — on YouTube & wherever you listen to podcasts. 🔔 Subscribe free 👍 Like if this opened your eyes 💬 Comment your questions — Michael is coming back Proceeds support Joshua Tree No Kill Animal Shelter & Stray Cat Alliance #fraudcraft #caworkerscomp #insurancefraud #truecrime #lawenforcement Support the show

    5 min
  5. CA Workers Comp: How Fraud Syndicates Are Robbing California Blind says Prosecutor

    Jun 9

    CA Workers Comp: How Fraud Syndicates Are Robbing California Blind says Prosecutor

    The tools to fix California's workers' comp fraud problem already exist. The laws are written. The statutes are clear. So why is the fraud still winning? Retired Kern County Deputy DA Kate Zimmermann spent over a decade building some of the most complex organized fraud cases in California — cases that took years, covered dozens of locations, and exposed schemes so sophisticated they were designed from the ground up to avoid detection. In this episode of Fraudcraft, Kate doesn't pull punches. She talks about the training gaps that leave investigators unable to articulate what they already know is wrong. The institutional habits that let fraud slip through adjudication unchallenged. The long-game schemes that carriers fund without ever realizing it. And the simple, unglamorous fixes that nobody wants to do because they don't come with a press release. This is the conversation the industry keeps almost having — but never quite finishing. If you work in workers' comp, SIU, claims, compliance, or prosecution, this episode is worth your full attention. 🎙️ Fraudcraft | Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Disclaimer: The views of the guests are their own & may not necessarily reflect the views of Fraudcraft the podcast. However in order to incite change & understand problems, we need to present all of the sides of the system connected to fraud. If you’d like us to continue to provide insider & revealing content- please subscribe (it’s free), hit like on videos, comment-tell us what resonates with you about this guest.  We need your support so we can send donations to our favorite no-kill animal shelters – Joshua Tree No Kill Animal Shelter & Stray Cat Alliance #fraudcraft #fraud #fraudalert #fraudprevention #fraudschemes #fraudinvestigation #businessstrategy #crimeinvestigation #workcomp #workerscomp #caworkerscomp #law #lawenforcement #california #money #followthemoney #insurancetips #insurancefraud #insuranceindustry #riskmanagement Support the show

    1h 42m
  6. The Entire CA Workers Comp System is Run by Fraud Syndicates- Prosecutor Finally Speaks Out

    Jun 9

    The Entire CA Workers Comp System is Run by Fraud Syndicates- Prosecutor Finally Speaks Out

    She spent 17 years prosecuting the most complex insurance fraud cases in California — and she saved the most explosive admission for last. In this episode of Fraudcraft, recently retired Kern County Deputy District Attorney Kate Zimmermann drops a bombshell: California's workers' compensation system doesn't just have a fraud problem. According to Kate, large fraud syndicates are running the system itself. From her very first case — a veritable buffet of corporate practice of medicine violations, applicant fraud, tax fraud, and illegal clinic ownership — to uncovering money funneled overseas to entities flagged by Interpol for potential terrorism ties, Kate's career reads like a crime thriller. Except it's all real. And it's happening to California workers right now. Kate also reveals one of the most chilling fraud tactics she prosecuted: patient files color-coded with red, yellow, and green stickers — not to track treatment, but to track how easy each insurance carrier was to rob. Clinics hired employees whose only job was to call carriers and find out reimbursement rates. The drugs you left the office with had nothing to do with your injury. They were chosen based on what your insurance company would pay. This is the episode the insurance industry, legislators, injured workers, and prosecutors need to watch. If you've ever wondered why fraud in the workers' comp system never seems to get better — Kate explains exactly why, and what it's going to take to change it. 🎙️ Fraudcraft | The podcast exposing the billion-dollar underground economy of commercial insurance fraud. Disclaimer: The views of the guests are their own & may not necessarily reflect the views of Fraudcraft the podcast. However in order to incite change & understand problems, we need to present all of the sides of the system connected to fraud. If you’d like us to continue to provide insider & revealing content- please subscribe (it’s free), hit like on videos, comment-tell us what resonates with you about this guest.  We need your support so we can send donations to our favorite no-kill animal shelters – Joshua Tree No Kill Animal Shelter & Stray Cat Alliance #fraudcraft #fraud #fraudalert #fraudprevention #fraudschemes #fraudinvestigation #businessstrategy #crimeinvestigation #workcomp #workerscomp #caworkerscomp #law #lawenforcement #california #money #followthemoney #insurancetips #insurancefraud #insuranceindustry #riskmanagement Support the show

    1h 7m

  7. May 28

    Breaking it all down - Investigating & Prosecuting Fraud Syndicates in CA Workers Comp

    Investigating & Prosecuting Fraud Syndicates, Fraud Rings in CA Workers' Comp is ridiculously challenging so the trick is to listen to those with battle scars. Step 1, breaking everything down to its simplest form. Materiality. Suspect's representation of facts. Statutory Definitions. Theories of Liability. Effective translation of case facts. Recently retired Kern County Prosecutor Kate Zimmermann walks us through what it takes to take on these cases and present them to juries for successful prosecution. She's a regular contributor to Fraudcraft, the podcast where subject matter experts take you on a ride inside the fraud world of commercial insurance & CA Workers Comp so that we decrease the victim count in this space and help fraud fighters learn from the best. Come join our community. Subscribe to the podcast (it's free), watch the videos all the way through, like the videos and add your comments so we can engage with each other. If you’d like us to continue to provide insider & revealing content- please subscribe (it’s free), hit like on videos, comment-tell us what resonates with you about this guest. We need your support so we can send donations to our favorite no-kill animal shelters – Joshua Tree No Kill Animal Shelter & Stray Cat Alliance #fraudcraft #fraud #fraudalert #fraudprevention #fraudschemes #fraudinvestigation #businessstrategy #crimeinvestigation #workcomp #workerscomp #caworkerscomp #law #lawenforcement #california #money #followthemoney #insurancetips #insurancefraud #insuranceindustry #riskmanagement Support the show

    3 min

  8. Apr 11

    The California DA's Office Isn't Stopping Fraud - Insurance Fraud Unit Supervisor Breaks the Silence

    Insurance fraud in the commercial space isn't a niche problem — it's a billion dollar underground economy that grows every year. A 30-year law enforcement veteran explains the institutional failures inside district attorney offices that let fraud syndicates operate with near impunity. Incompetent judges, unwilling investigators, broken referral pipelines — this is what's actually driving the cost of fraud. Damon Tucker is a recently retired Supervising Investigator with the Orange County District Attorney's Office who peels back the curtain of a broken law enforcement system that is contributing to rising fraud claims and costs.  Disclaimer: The views of the guests are their own & may not necessarily reflect the views of Fraudcraft the podcast. However in order to incite change & understand problems, we need to present all of the sides of the system connected to fraud. Please subscribe, hit like on videos, comment, and sponsor us! We need your support so we can continue to provide eye-opening honest content and most importantly send donations to our favorite no-kill animal shelters – Joshua Tree No Kill Animal Shelter & Stray Cat Alliance #fraudcraft #fraud #fraudalert #fraudprevention #fraudschemes #fraudinvestigation #business #businessnews #businessgrowth #businessstrategy #crimeinvestigation #workcomp #workerscomp #caworkerscomp #law #lawenforcement #california #money #followthemoney #insurancetips #insurancefraud #insuranceindustry #riskmanagement Support the show

    1h 42m
See All (45)

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Join host Teena every week as she takes you into the world of FraudcraftTM, the billion-dollar underground economy created inside the industry of commercial insurance, most notably, California workers’ compensation, by the tradecraft of fraud syndicatesTM, their predatory tactics against people who they hook, buy & sell like human cash crops in capping schemes.    Each week you’ll get in-depth discussions and interviews with other subject matter experts, thought leaders and angel disruptors, business owners, employees, prosecutors, applicant and defense attorneys, investigators, medical and legal providers, in discussing & sharing lessons of FraudcraftTM , industry leadership influence, and the trajectory of the future with AI. Here we promote the innovative mindset for scalable solutions.    FraudcraftTM is your ticket to see the inside of these schemes, a landscape once controlled by restricted access.    This is the podcast I wish existed when I first began my career. These are the people who have cracked the code on what they love & sharing their craft to help others. Here we shout cheers to the wisdom of passion, innovation, solutions, creations, evolution, revolution, invention, inspiration & the celebration of us all.    *FraudcraftTM is a term coined by Teena in identifying the sources and methods of organized fraud criminals in commercial insurance fraud and the study of the criminology and victimology of these organize fraud schemes.    Subscribe and follow our community and join us in simply having fun together.

Information

  • Creator
    Teena
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Fraudcraft
  • Show Website
    Fraudcraft