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Johnny Depp's ex-lawyer Camille Vasquez helps 'Yellowstone' star Q'orianka Kilcher beat disability fraud charges

The LA County District Attorney's Office announced they are dismissing Q'orianka Kilcher's charges after stating she did not commit insurance fraud

BY ANNA MATHEW

PUBLISHED FEB 11, 2023

Attorney Camille Vasquez (L) scores a major legal win for actress Q'orianka Kilcher (R) (Michael Tullberg/ Rich Polk/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Famed attorney Camille Vasquez, who represented the defamation case of Johnny Depp last year, has scored a big legal win for another celebrity. The California Department of Insurance, who filed the alleged lawsuit against 'Yellowstone' star Q'orianka Kilcher, announced that they have decided to drop all the charges even before running the trial, on Friday, February 10.

Last year, in September 2022, Kilcher hired Camille and attorney Steve Cook from Brown Rudnick LLP to represent her worker's compensation insurance fraud case. The insurance company claimed Kilcher improperly collected over $90,000 in disability benefits but the actress continued to maintain her innocence, according to TMZ.

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Q'orianka Kilcher attends 'The Pale Blue Eye' Los Angeles Premiere at DGA Theater Complex on December 14, 2022, in Los Angeles, California (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

What really happened?

The California Dept. of Insurance hit Kilcher with two counts of workers' compensation insurance fraud back in July 2022. Following an investigation, the company claimed they found evidence that over the course of two years, Kilcher collected over $90,000 in disability benefits. However, Kilcher claimed she collected the money to treat a severe neck injury she suffered in 2018, on the sets of 'Dora and the Lost City of Gold'.

Ben Chew and Camille Vasquez, attorneys for US actor Johnny Depp, arrive to speak to reporters outside the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse on June 01, 2022 in Fairfax, Virginia. A US jury found Wednesday that US actress Amber Heard had made defamatory claims of abuse against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, and awarded him $15 million in damages. — Ben Chew and Camille Vasquez, attorneys for US actor Johnny Depp, arrive to speak to reporters outside the Fairfax County Circuit Courthouse on June 01, 2022, in Fairfax, Virginia (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

The lawsuit stated Kilcher continued to rake in disability benefits while filming 'Yellowstone' episodes for another straight year in 2019. The insurance company charged her with felonies despite the actress maintaining she was in too much pain after sustaining a serious and life-altering traumatic injury. In the end, Kilcher had Camille and attorney Steve to the rescue.

Did Q'orianka Kilcher commit insurance fraud?

The LA County District Attorney's Office announced they are dismissing Kilcher's charges after stating she did not commit insurance fraud. "After the charges were filed, the Worker's Compensation Insurance claims adjuster retroactively changed his conclusion regarding her ability to work," reported the source. "We, therefore, determined that Ms. Kilcher did not commit insurance fraud and advised the court that we were unable to proceed," the DA's office said in a statement.

Kilcher said in a statement that she is "beyond grateful" that the insurance company dropped the charges. She credited her astonishing win by thanking Camille and Steve "for their steadfast belief in my innocence," adding "without their advocacy, we would not be here today." Camille and Steve said they are gratified that the former 'Pocahontas, The New World' star is vindicated.