The Robert E. Coyle Federal Courthouse in Downtown Fresno. File photo

A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment Tuesday against Leonel Hernandez, 51, of Parlier, charging the former farm labor supervisor with mail fraud, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Hernandez was employed as a supervisor for a farm labor contractor in Sanger. Between March 2017 and October 2020, Hernandez submitted falsified disability insurance claims using identities of individuals known to him, including some who were already deceased and some who were farm laborers in Sanger or Fresno, according to court documents.

Hernandez allegedly forged physician signatures on the disability insurance claim forms, falsely certifying that the physicians had examined the claimants and falsely certifying other medical information that was allegedly obtained through such examinations. Hernandez used the U.S. mail to submit at least 20 claims and caused losses exceeding $300,000.  

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Employment Development Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Hee Chu and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.