Strongman Fraudster Gets 120 Days
Former Santa Barbara Police Officer Found Competing in Lifting Events While on Disability
In the People v. Jacob Finerty saga, in which a workers’ compensation-claiming police officer was found to be competing in weight-lifting competitions while on disability for a back injury, the defendant threw in the towel on Friday, making an open plea. His felony sentence on four counts of workers’ compensation fraud consists of 120 days in jail, five years of probation, and restitution to the City of Santa Barbara of $115,669.85.
Finerty had filed for workers comp in 2013 after stating he injured his back in an on-duty traffic accident while on the Santa Barbara police force. He was paid about $133,000 a year while on leave, and simultaneously, from 2014-2016, videos, photographs, and social media featured him in lifting and strongman competitions, as well as MAS wrestling. He took home the bronze in the latter in 2014. All formed the basis of the District Attorney’s complaint, which was filed this May. Finerty was placed on unpaid leave at that time. The open plea means there was no deal between him and the DA’s Office, and he simply pled guilty to all charges.
