California woman sentenced for workers’ compensation fraud

A 52-year-old Greenfield woman was sentenced to three years probation and 90 days in jail for making a false workers’ compensation claim, according to a release from the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office. Ema Pantoja pleaded guilty on April 30 after claiming for three years she’d extensively damaged her wrist while working at Scheid Vineyards in January 2007. Over the course of several years, Pantoja was examined by a number of doctors and testified under oath concerning her physical limitations. Continuing to receive treatment through May 2010, Pantoja told doctors she had not driven since her injury, but video surveillance captured her engaged in activities inconsistent with her testimony.