Q’orianka Kilcher, best known for her work on “Yellowstone” and 2018’s “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,” has been cleared of all felony insurance fraud charges stemming from a disability benefits case.
A Los Angeles judge threw out the case, which saw Kilcher charged with two counts of workers compensation fraud related to allegations of her collecting more than $96,000 in disability benefits while continuing to work.
“Today, I am beyond grateful that my case has been dismissed – tomorrow my journey begins to help raise awareness and demand more transparency for worker’s rights within the workers comp system,” Kilcher said in a statement. “I want to thank my attorneys, Camille Vasquez and Steve Cook, for their steadfast belief in my innocence – without their advocacy, we would not be here today. Finally, I want to thank my family, friends, fans, and fellow industry peers whose support has kept me going. I look forward to shedding more light on this experience and continuing to do the work I love.”
The charges emerged last year after the California Department of Insurance accused the actor of appearing in episodes of “Yellowstone” while she had claimed to be unable to work as a result of severe neck pain stemming from her on-set injury on the “Dora” film.
Kilcher appeared in several episodes of Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” Season 3, which aired beginning in August 2020, but were filmed between July and October 2019.
Kilcher pleaded not guilty and maintained her innocence. The case was investigated for six months and was officially dismissed by the L.A. County District Attorney’s office on Friday.
“After the charges were filed, the Workers Compensation Insurance claims adjuster retroactively changed his conclusion regarding her ability to work,” the D.A. said in a statement. “We therefore determined that Ms. Kilcher did not commit insurance fraud and advised the court that we were unable to proceed.”
A spokesperson for the actor said Kilcher is enthusiastic about her upcoming slate of projects, which includes the upcoming modern-day thriller “Yesteryear,” opposite Wes Studi, despite suffering a “serious and life-altering traumatic injury” and is hoping to use the decision to “shed light on the experiences of other workers who have been injured in the workplace.”
“We are pleased that after re-evaluating this case, the District Attorney has decided to dismiss the charges against Ms. Kilcher” Brown Rudnick Partners and Kilcher’s attorneys, Camille Vasquez and Stephen Cook, said in a joint statement. “The decision is a true victory, and while we are gratified that Ms. Kilcher’s innocence has been vindicated, the truth is that the California Department of Insurance should never have brought this case, and Ms. Kilcher should never have been subjected to this ordeal. Having been cleared, Ms. Kilcher is excited to move forward and devote her attention to her flourishing career.”
