Alameda County sheriff’s deputy Alan Strickland already has one fraud conviction on his record so it does not appear as if he has learned his lesson because he is at it again.
This time, the California deputy is attempting to defraud Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri, claiming the NBA executive attacked him by punching him in the face, leaving him permanently disabled, unable to work, a fragment of his former self.
He even claims to have witnesses, two other cops who were nowhere near the scene who can’t even get their stories straight, including one with a history of fabricating arrest reports.
His superiors, of course, went along with the story as well, claiming the poor deputy was only trying to keep everybody safe when the big bad man in the suit came charging at him in an aggressive manner following game six of the 2019 NBA Championship Series between the Raptors and the Golden State Warriors.
Ujiri was only trying to get on the arena floor to receive the championship trophy but the deputy felt the need to shove him without even asking him for credentials.
They also accused him of “shouting obscenities” to the deputy when it was the deputy who shoved him, saying, “back the f_ck up!”. The sheriff’s office tried to get him charged with felony battery on a police officer but the district attorney declined.
The D.A. likely reviewed evidence from Strickland’s body camera along with footage from an overhead security camera as well as statements from witnesses who were standing within an arm’s length of the deputy when he assaulted Ujili – all which contradict the deputy’s claims.
But Strickland, who pleaded guilty to insurance fraud in 2005, was not deterred. He filed a lawsuit against Ujiri in February accusing the team president of striking him with a double-fisted punch, resulting in him having to undergo dental repair work, chiropractic care, physical therapy, psychological counseling as well as oral surgery for jaw pain and neurological care for post-concussion syndrome.
Perhaps he expected a quick settlement from the NBA executive who makes $5 million a year but Ujili responded by filing a counterclaim this week which includes documents showing that he accepted a plea deal in 2005 that reduced a felony fraud charge to a misdemeanor.
The counterclaim also includes photos of Strickland operating a power saw and carrying boxes even though he has filed for workman’s compensation, claiming his injuries were so severe, he is unable to work.
It also includes a photo of Strickland said to be taken shortly after the incident that shows no bruising despite claiming to have suffered “severe facial bruising.”
According to the counterclaim:
Mr. Strickland has a history of committing criminal fraud. Mr. Strickland was previously charged with insurance fraud and making false statements. Per court records, he purposefully damaged his own vehicle and then submitted a claim to his insurer for the damage he intentionally caused, and ultimately pled guilty to misdemeanor insurance fraud in December 2005. 46. Despite his criminal conviction, Mr. Strickland continues to make false claims. For example, Mr. Strickland claims he is suffering from debilitating post-concussive syndrome and neck and shoulder pain because of the incident. These have already been exposed as dubious. Photos of Mr. Strickland using a power saw in his garage and carrying boxes from his car after the incident make it clear he is not injured as he has claimed to the California Division of Workers’ Compensation. Attached hereto as Exhibit 3 is the Case Summary and the complaint filed against Mr. Strickland by the San Mateo County District Attorneys’ office. It was filed as a felony fraud claim and he plead guilty to a misdemeanor fraud, including the false claim to an insurance company.
As a law enforcement officer, Strickland found himself among perfect company, dishonest people just like himself who were willing to lie and destroy an innocent life if it means protecting a fellow cop.
It was these lying cops that proved to be the only witnesses defending Strickland, according the counterclaim.
Mr. Strickland contends there are two third-party witnesses, Tomas Civindi (“Civindi”) and Sucha Singh (“Singh”), who saw Mr. Ujiri punch him in the face with two fists. This is FALSE.
Civindi told the Oakland Police Department (“OPD”) that Mr. Ujiri “shoved the police officer in his chest and the officer pushed [Mr. Ujiri] in return,” not in the face, contradicting Mr. Strickland himself. Furthermore, Civindi’s statement is contradicted by the video evidence, which shows Mr. Strickland forcefully shoved Mr. Ujiri twice before Mr. Ujiri returned a shove to Mr. Strickland’s chest. Civindi’s statements do not support Mr. Strickland’s case.
Similarly, Singh told the OPD he saw Mr. Ujiri push Mr. Strickland “in the chest area with two clenched fists.” Singh also told OPD, however, that he “was standing at the north tunnel entrance of the arena” when he witnessed the encounter, but it is undisputed the encounter happened near the south tunnel. Ironically, Singh is a police officer with the Los Angeles Police Department who has a history of engaging in excessive force and “unconscionable acts.” See Sucha Singh v. City of Los Angeles, No. B232873, 2012 WL 5872285 (Cal.App.2nd Nov. 21, 2012). He was previously accused of beating a civilian with his baton and then providing misleading statements when later questioned about the incident. Id. He was subsequently found to have to have engaged in excessive force and “unconscionable” conduct for his actions. Id. Singh’s account of the Strickland/Ujiri encounter is a transparent fabrication and he is not a reliable witness.
Additionally, immediately after the altercation, Mr. Strickland told OPD Officer K. Tikkanen that Mr. Ujiri “pushed” him “in his vest with two hands” and that one of Mr. Ujiri’s hands “slipped from the outer vest carrier and hit [him] in the left part of his jaw.” Thus, Mr. Strickland himself contradicted his later statements of being punched in the face with a closed fist.3 As explained in more detail below, Mr. Strickland has a history of lying, having pled guilty to insurance fraud. Mr. Strickland is once again perpetrating a fraud by lying about his encounter with Mr. Ujiri in an attempt to unjustly profit at the expense of others.
A few of Mr. Strickland’s fellow officers have made various contradictory statements in the media about the 11 second encounter, even though none of them witnessed the encounter. For example, one day after the incident, Sergeant JD Nelson of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office characterized the encounter as a “shoving match” during which Mr. Ujiri hit Mr. Strickland in the jaw with “a palm.” Similarly, five days after the incident, Sergeant Ray Kelly, also of the County Sheriff’s Office, is quoted as saying Mr. Ujiri’s arm “arm struck [Mr. Strickland] in the side of the head.” These statements obviously contradict Mr. Strickland’s version of the events, which further strain his credibility and show he is putting forth a false narrative in an attempt to justify his use of excessive force against Mr. Ujiri. Mr. Strickland told his colleagues, who repeated the statements.
Strickland was hired by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in 2013 with a salary of more than $100,000.
