CUPERTINO – A 54-year-old Cupertino woman is facing felony insurance fraud charges in the wake of an investigation that found she allegedly received nearly $1 million in undeserved long-term care benefits for her and her father, according to authorities.
Jingjin “Kathy” Bian, a former insurance agent, filed claims to enact long-term care benefits on her life insurance policy after she injured her back in an August 2018 car crash, the California Department of Insurance said in a news release Tuesday.
In 2019, Bian’s insurance company awarded her more than $300,000 in benefits including for caregiver reimbursement, according to authorities.
The company suspected insurance fraud, leading the state to open an investigation.
“Through surveillance she was observed performing activities independently, with no caregiver present, directly contradicting her claimed disabilities and reasons needing for caregiver reimbursement,” the Department of Insurance said in the news release.
Bian also served as the legal representative for her 81-year-old father, who lived with her and also had an insurance policy with the same company, authorities said.
In February 2018, the father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he filed a claim to enact the long-term care benefits on his insurance policy, according to authorities.
“The claim stated he required hands-on assistance and required a walker when going outside,” the Department of Insurance said, adding that the company approved the claim in February 2019 and awarded him more than $600,000 in benefits.
“Surveillance observed Bian’s father performing activities independently, with no caregiver present, directly contradicting his claimed disabilities,” the Department of Insurance said.
The investigation found that Bian was listed as her father’s legal representative in all correspondence and that she handled all of his policy correspondence, care provider scheduling and billing, according to authorities.
Bian was arraigned on the charges Tuesday and is scheduled to return to court on April 16. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
