Q’orianka Kilcher, an actor who has appeared in “The New World” “Yellowstone,” is facing criminal charges for allegedly collecting disability benefits even though she was able to work.
Kilcher has been charged with two felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud. After injuring her neck, shoulder and head during filming, Kilcher allegedly received $96,838 in benefits. “Dora and the Lost City of Gold.”
Investigators from California Department of Insurance discovered that she was able to work. “Yellowstone”The department released a Monday news release stating that she claimed she was disabled in the year following.
Although the charges were announced Monday by the department, Kilcher was arraigned on May 27 and pleaded not guilt. A statement was made to VarietyHer attorney refuted the allegations and stated that Kilcher was not at fault. “never intentionally accepted benefits that she did not believe she was entitled to.”
“As such, Ms. Kilcher will vigorously defend herself and asks that she be afforded the presumption of innocence both in and outside the courthouse,”Michael Becker, the attorney, stated this.
Kilcher is perhaps best-known for portraying Pocahontas in “The New World,”Terrence Malick directed the 2005 film. She also starred in the title role. “Princess Kaiulani,”Film about the colonization and colonization of Hawaii. He played Kawillaka in the 2019 film. “Dora” film. Four episodes of The Countdown starred her. “Yellowstone”Season three aired in 2020.
Kilcher is said to have injured her neck and right shoulder while filming “Dora” movie in October 2018. Her attorney stated that she was a passenger in the production vehicle at the time of the injury.
According to the Department of Insurance, she went to a doctor a few times afterward, but stopped getting treatment and did not respond to an inquiry from her employer’s insurance company.
Kilcher, according to the department, reached out to her insurer in October 2019 to seek treatment. According to the department’s records, Kilcher told the doctor that her neck pain had gotten so severe that it had forced her to quit work and that she had not worked in over a year. The department said that she received temporary total disability benefits immediately.
Kilcher was later found to have worked on wage statements by investigators. “Yellowstone” from July 2019 to October 2019 — just before seeking treatment. According to the department this job had ended five days prior to Kilcher starting receiving benefits. According to the department, the doctor later stated that he wouldn’t have approved the payments if he knew about her recent work history.
Kilcher’s attorney denied that she had ever been deceptive.
“Third party doctors verified her injury and entitlement to benefits,”Becker made the following statement. “Ms. Kilcher was at all times candid with her doctors and treatment providers.”
The attorney said that she also provided regular updates to her caseworker at the Division of Workers’ Compensation.
Christopher Hartman, a prosecutor with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, is handling the case. Kilcher’s next scheduled court date is Aug. 7.