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Calif. appeals court rejects bid to seal records in comp fraud case - Business Insurance Skip to content Register for free Search Search Log In Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Risk Management Cyber Risks Pricing Trends Mergers & Acquisitions Technology Sponsored Content WSIA RISKWORLD Workers Comp & Safety Workers Comp Cost Control Pain Management Workplace Safety International EMEA Asia-Pacific Latin America People Events BI Intelligence Top 100 Agents & Brokers Best Places to Work 2025 Lists Directories Insurance Pricing BI Stock Index Magazine Current Issue Past Issues Subscribe Women to Watch ALL INsurance Resources Risk Perspectives Sponsored Content Webinars White Papers Calif. appeals court rejects bid to seal records in comp fraud case by Louise Esola Workers Comp Coverage May 28, 2026 A California appeals court affirmed the denial of an attorney’s petition to seal arrest records stemming from a workers compensation fraud and money laundering case. The California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two, on Wednesday held in People v. Rifat that Matthew David Murray Rifat was not entitled to have records sealed because his later guilty plea in a related case had a “causal nexus” to the earlier arrest and indictment. Mr. Rifat was indicted in Riverside County in 2019 with several others on charges including conspiracy to present false or fraudulent claims, 11 counts of making false or fraudulent claims and 78 counts of money laundering. The alleged conduct occurred from Sept. 1, 2015, through Sept. 1, 2018, according to the ruling. In 2024, prosecutors filed a separate complaint charging him with felony acceptance of business with reckless disregard for whether the business intended to violate California’s insurance fraud statute. He pleaded guilty to that charge, and prosecutors dismissed the earlier indictment as to him. The case centered on Blue Oak Medical Group, and prosecutors argued Mr. Rifat had been accused of conspiring to commit workers compensation fraud and money laundering. As part of a separate agreement related to the plea, an attorney for Blue Oak Medical Group and related entities agreed to dismiss workers compensation liens, while Mr. Rifat agreed to file a notice of satisfaction of judgment, the ruling states. Mr. Rifat later sought to seal the arrest and related records from the dismissed indictment, arguing there had been no conviction in that case. Prosecutors opposed the petition, arguing the conviction in the second case was directly related to and based on the same underlying conduct. The appeals court agreed, finding “overwhelming evidence” supported the trial court’s conclusion that the later conviction was tied to the earlier arrest. The court said workers compensation fraud was the subject of some of the alleged fraud in the indictment and that the later complaint was an accusatory pleading based on the earlier arrest. Related News Jack in the Box operator loses pay transparency coverage ruling May 28, 2026 Insurtech hires former Marsh unit director May 28, 2026 Korean insurers raided in bid-rigging probe May 28, 2026 GIC Re’s profit climbs on investment gains May 28, 2026 European firms defy China pullback trend May 28, 2026 Korean Re secures $75M cat bond cover May 28, 2026 Deutsche Rück’s profit rises 45% May 28, 2026 Strike may force cancellation of 500 flights, train services May 28, 2026 Brazil surety insurers seek self-regulation May 28, 2026 Facebook-f X-twitter Linkedin-in Business Insurance is a singular, authoritative news and information source for executives focused upon risk management, risk transfer and risk financing. 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