Professional disability doesn't necessarily leave someone unable to move, walk or play: it only limits their ability to work. But an LAPD officer on disability benefits since he "hurt his elbow" on duty in 2023 should have thought through the consequences of continuing his skydiving trips. Christopher Carnahan, an officer with 18 years on the clock, was charged with two counts of felony insurance fraud and faces years in prison if convicted.
"This case is about honesty and accountability," L.A. County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a press release. "Claiming to be temporarily totally disabled and collecting disability benefits intended for injured workers while engaging in physically demanding activities like skydiving is a crime. This is an officer who knows the law and understands the standards he is sworn to uphold."
They also got footage of him at the gym, doing high-intensity lifts despite the claimed injury.
If you Google Mr. Carnahan's name, the top result (other than news stories about his arrest) is an Instagram account titled "Chris Carnahan (@treljumper)" full of spectacular footage and images depicting skydiving and mountaineering adventures as recent as November last year.
Here's LAPD Chris Carnahan circa 2008, and present-day Instagram Chris Carnahan…
Indeed, a Chris Carnaham had achieved some fame as a cop with a taste for extreme sports. Here's an 11-year-old video (long predating the disability claim) about "Chris Carnahan: LAPD and Base Jumper."
