Ex-California cop who allegedly partied at music festival, went to Disneyland while collecting $600K for fake injury faces lawsuit
The city of Westminster announced Wednesday that they are suing Nicole Brown to hold the former officer 'accountable for this [breach] of public trust' and 'recover all of the funds,' KTLA reported.
'The lawsuit seeks repayment of all disability and medical payments, benefits, and other funds unlawfully obtained by Brown; and seeks to recover costs associated with investigation and prosecution of the lawsuit,' the city said.
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3 Ex-cop Nicole Brown was caught partying at Stagecoach and going to Disneyland while claiming $600k disability.
X / @WestminsterPDCA
The charges come after Brown, who had been with the Westminster Police Department since 2019, suffered a minor head abrasion during an arrest in 2022 and used the injury to take a several-year-long leave — but was seen partying at the Stagecoach music festival, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
Three days after the festival, Brown appeared on a Zoom meeting about her health in a darkened room and told Westminster police officials she was unable to look at the screen without discomfort.
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The city said that Brown claimed she suffered 'post-concussion syndrome,' which caused her headaches, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound.
Westminster Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen slammed the former cop for betraying the public's trust and said the city owes it to its citizens and 'honest, hard-working officers' to 'recover these funds.'
'Our residents count on us to protect their taxpayer dollars and ensure that employees who are actually injured receive the support they need to recover. Fraud will not be tolerated in Westminster,' Nguyen said.
3 A view of the atmosphere during day 1 of the Stagecoach Music Festival on April 25, 2025, in Indio, California.
Getty Images for Stagecoach
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In May, the Orange County District Attorney's Office claimed the alleged malingerer maintained an active lifestyle during her long work hiatus.
Prosecutors claim she visited Disneyland, ran two 5K races, went on a skiing or snowboarding trip, attended soccer and baseball games, and pursued an online master's degree while collecting the hefty $600,000 through her full, tax-free salary — in addition to her medical expenses.
Brown has been charged with nine counts of making a fraudulent statement to obtain compensation, six counts of making a fraudulent insurance benefit claim, and one felony enhancement of committing an aggravated white collar crime over $100,000.
3 In May, the Orange County District Attorney's Office claimed the alleged malingerer maintained an active lifestyle during her long work hiatus.
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If convicted, she faces up to 22 years in prison.
The 39-year-old also received help in conceiving the alleged scheme from her stepfather, Peter Gregory Schuman — an attorney who practices in workers' compensation.
Schuman, 57, 'did all the talking' for Brown in meetings with Westminster PD officials and oversaw his stepdaughter's admission into an inpatient center for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, prosecutors said.
Schuman is charged with two felonies linked to the alleged scheme that carry a maximum of eight years in state prison, the release stated.
He could also face the loss of his license to practice law if found guilty.
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New York Post
5 minutes ago
- New York Post
Day 2 manhunt for US Army vet. accused of killing 4 in Montana bar, escaped in underpants: authorities
The gunman who allegedly opened fire in a Montana bar and killed four people is a US Army veteran who was photographed leaving the scene wearing nothing but black underpants, authorities revealed. The manhunt for Michael Paul Brown is on its second day after authorities say he opened fire around 10:30 a.m. Friday in The Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda, located about 25 miles northwest of Butte. Brown, 45, escaped down a stone staircase wearing black, brief-style underwear, according to a new surveillance image released by the Montana Department of Justice. Advertisement 3 Michael Paul Brown fled The Owl Bar down a stone staircase wearing nothing other than black, brief-style underwear, according to a surveillance image released by the Montana Department of Justice. Montana Department of Justice David Gwerder, the bar's owner, said it's also likely that Brown – who lived next door to the watering hole – knew the three patrons and the bartender, all of whom he's accused of killing. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Advertisement The victims' names have not been publicly identified. 3 The manhunt for Brown, a retired US Army veteran, was in its second day Saturday. facebook/Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center Following the shooting, Brown drove off in a white pickup truck but later ditched it, ABC 7 reported, citing Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Administrator Lee Johnson. 'While law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous,' Johnson said, according to the outlet. Advertisement 'This is a small tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community of Montanans stand for,' he continued. As reports of the shooting circulated around the town Friday, its less than 10,000 residents took refuge behind locked doors. With no sign of Brown in his vehicle or home, authorities converged by ground and air, and put the Stumptown Road area located just west of Anaconda on lockdown. Officers from local, state and federal agencies were focusing on the same search area Saturday morning, said Chase Scheuer, a spokesperson for the Treasure State DOJ. Advertisement On Saturday afternoon, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Police Chief Bill Sather thanked local residents for their patience during 'this very stressful and tragic time' and expressed condolences to the victims' friends and family. 'We are doing everything we can to find and bring this perpetrator to justice,' Sather said in a video posted to the department's Facebook page. 'It's okay to go about your business in town, but please use caution…if you see anything suspicious, please call 911.' Brown served in the Army as an armor crewman from January 2001 to May 2005, and was deployed to Iraq for just over a year during that period, said Army spokesperson Maj. Dustin Ramos. 3 The names of the victims — which included three patrons and bartender — have not yet been released publicly. x/ATF_Denver He was a member of the National Guard from April 2006 to March 2008, and left the service in the rank of sergeant, according to Ramos. Brown struggled with mental health issues in the years leading up to the shooting while relatives desperately sought help for him, said Brown's niece, Clare Boyle. 'This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild,' she wrote in a Facebook message to the outlet. 'It's a sick man who doesn't know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn't know where or when he is either.' Boyle, who didn't immediately respond to requests for comment, doubled down in a public Facebook post Friday night. Advertisement 'While you're all out here talking about things we're uncertain of. There is one thing I'm certain of. Mental health is real. And it goes unmanaged and dismissed every single day,' she wrote. 'There are people who search for help and get turned away at every stop along the path. There are people who cry for help and show DEFINITE warning signs of crash out,' Boyle continued. 'The system is broken. The system fails us. When our veterans gets turned away seeking mental health help because 'We can't help unless it's a harm to self or others.' It's heartbreaking.' Advertisement Gwerder and Johnson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. With Post wires
Newsweek
6 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Manhunt Intensifies for Montana Mass Shooter
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A massive manhunt is underway in western Montana for Michael Paul Brown, 45, who allegedly killed four people at The Owl Bar in Anaconda on Friday morning. Brown, a military veteran, fled the scene in a white pickup truck but later abandoned the vehicle. Authorities released a photo Saturday showing the suspect barefoot and shirtless, walking down concrete steps after the shooting. The search has focused on the mountainous Stumptown Road area west of Anaconda, with ground teams and helicopters deployed. Newsweek called the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center and left a message requesting more information. Why It Matters Anaconda is the largest town and the county seat of Deer Lodge County, located in southwestern Montana. A town of about 9,000 people, Anaconda sits roughly 75 miles southeast of Missoula in a mountain-ringed valley. This mass shooting has devastated the small, tight-knit community of Anaconda, a town of approximately 9,000 people nestled in Montana's mountainous terrain. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about mental health support for military veterans and the challenges law enforcement faces when conducting searches in remote, mountainous regions. Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar in of Anaconda, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, following a fatal shooting. Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar in of Anaconda, Mont., on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, following a fatal shooting. Joseph Scheller/The Montana Standard via AP What To Know The shooting happened around 10:30 a.m. local time on Friday at The Owl Bar, according to the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is leading the investigation. Around 2 p.m., the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center named a suspect on Facebook, "Be advised suspect in shooting is believed to be armed and dangerous. Suspect is Michael Paul Brown and was last seen in the Stumptown area. Public is advised to stay out of the Stumptown area and surrounding areas. If seen do not approach. Contact 911 for any way to contact Michael Paul Brown." More than a dozen officers from state and local law enforcement agencies converged on the Stump Town area and appeared to be searching for the suspect in a wooded area. In an earlier Facebook post, the nearby Granite County Sheriff's Office said the suspect is said to be wearing a tie‑dyed shirt, blue jeans and an orange bandana. Brown served as an armor crewman in the U.S. Army from 2001 to 2005, including a deployment to Iraq from early 2004 to March 2005. He later served in the Montana National Guard until 2009, leaving military service with the rank of sergeant. The suspect lived next door to The Owl Bar, according to public record. Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said on Facebook that he is "closely monitoring the situation involving active shooter in Anaconda." "Please join Susan and me in praying for the victims, their loved ones, and the brave law enforcement officers responding to this tragedy," Gianforte wrote. Michael Paul Brown is shown. Michael Paul Brown is shown. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center What People Are Saying Lee Johnson, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Administrator, said Saturday: "While law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous. This is a small tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for." Clare Boyle, Brown's niece, told the Associated Press: "This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild. It's a sick man who doesn't know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn't know where or when he is either." The National Fraternal Order of Police wrote on Facebook: "Our hearts are with the community of Anaconda, Montana, where four lives were lost in a senseless bar shooting. Law enforcement is actively searching for the suspect, Michael Paul Brown, who remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. We stand with the brave officers of the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Law Enforcement Center, the Montana Highway Patrol, and every agency working around the clock to bring this suspect to justice. To every officer out there responding to danger with courage and resolve — we see you, we back you, and we're praying for your safety." Blake Hempstead, a local sports reporter in the area, posted on X: "Anaconda is in a mini lock down while police search for a gunman who shot numerous people at the Owl Bar. Don't leave your house or come this way until this cowardly POS is found by our law enforcement officers." His post continued: "High speed chase is heading west towards Georgetown Lake. Local officers and highway patrol with what was apparently looked like guns drawn according to an eyewitness. This is not supposed to go down here." What Happens Next The intensive search operation continues with multiple law enforcement agencies coordinating efforts across the mountainous terrain. Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and report any sightings immediately. The names of the four victims will be released once all families have been properly notified. The investigation into the motive behind the shooting is ongoing, with officials working to piece together the events leading up to the tragic incident. Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
Los Angeles Times
4 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Officials scour Montana mountains for Army veteran suspected of killing 4
Authorities were scouring a mountainous area of western Montana on Saturday for a military veteran who they say opened fire at a bar, killing four people. Michael Paul Brown, 45, fled the Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda in a white pickup truck but ditched it at some point, said Lee Johnson, administrator of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is overseeing the case. He urged residents late Friday to stay at home and on high alert. 'While law enforcement has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous,' Johnson said. Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families have been notified. 'This is a small, tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for,' Johnson said. Anaconda, about 25 miles northwest of Butte, is hemmed in by mountains. The town of about 9,000 people was founded by copper barons who profited off nearby mines in the late 1800s. A defunct smelter stack looms over the valley. Brown lived next door to the Owl Bar, said owner David Gwerder, who wasn't there during the shooting Friday morning. Gwerder told the Associated Press that the bartender and three patrons were killed and he didn't think anyone else was inside. He also said he wasn't aware of any conflicts between Brown and any of the victims. 'He knew everybody that was in that bar. I guarantee you that,' Gwerder said. 'He didn't have any running dispute with any of them. I just think he snapped.' Brown served in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005 and deployed to Iraq from early 2004 until March 2005, said Lt. Col. Ruth Castro, an Army spokesperson. Brown was in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to March 2009, Castro said. He left military service in the rank of sergeant. Brown's niece, Clare Boyle, told the AP on Friday that her uncle has struggled with mental illness for years and that she and her other family members repeatedly sought help. 'This isn't just a drunk/high man going wild,' she wrote in a Facebook message. 'It's a sick man who doesn't know who he is sometimes and frequently doesn't know where or when he is either.' With no sign of Brown in the white pickup or his home, authorities converged on the Stumptown Road area west of Anaconda by ground and air Friday, locking it down. A helicopter hovered over a nearby mountainside as officers moved among the trees, said Randy Clark, a retired police officer who lives there. The search continued Saturday morning, according to Chase Scheuer, a spokesman for Montana's DCI. As reports of the shooting spread through town Friday, business owners locked their doors and sheltered inside with customers. The owner of the Firefly Cafe in Anaconda said she locked up her business after a friend alerted her to the shooting. 'We are Montana, so guns are not new to us,' Barbie Nelson said. 'For our town to be locked down, everybody's pretty rattled.' Brown, Slevin and Baumann write for the Associated Press.
