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A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned a four‑count indictment this week charging Michelle L. Bouziden, an Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, with collecting more than $51,000 in federal disability pay while allegedly traveling and hiking abroad. The charges were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, and they center on alleged fraud against the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA).
Indictment details: what prosecutors say happened
Prosecutors allege that after a work‑related concussion, Bouziden filed periodic FECA claims saying she was totally disabled and unable to perform even simple physical or cognitive tasks. Yet the indictment says she canceled required medical exams, traveled to Italy, and spent nearly two weeks hiking in the Dolomites — reportedly covering almost 60 miles over eight days — all while getting disability payments. The four counts include wire fraud, false statements for federal workers’ compensation, obstruction of agency proceedings, and theft of government property. The alleged total paid to her during the period at issue is $51,571.73.
How the alleged scheme is said to have worked
The complaint paints a plain picture: periodic FECA claim forms attesting to total disability; missed or canceled independent medical exams blamed on a “wellness retreat”; and social media posts and travel records that, prosecutors say, contradict the claimed incapacity. Investigators from USDA‑OIG and DOL‑OIG traced the travel and the strenuous hikes and cited them in the charging papers. If the facts are true, the case would be a straightforward example of taxpayer money being siphoned from the very program meant to protect injured federal workers.
Why this matters to taxpayers and federal law enforcement
Beyond the individual conduct alleged, the case touches on a bigger problem: fraud in federal benefit programs. U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak framed the indictment as an affront to hardworking federal employees who actually show up for duty. The Justice Department has made fraud enforcement a priority, creating a National Fraud Enforcement Division and pushing to root out abuse of federal programs. That is good. The American people fund these benefits, and when one person rips them off it erodes trust and invites cuts or burdensome rules for everyone else.
What comes next
Bouziden is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but the indictment is set for a four‑day jury trial starting November 30, 2026, in Salt Lake City. Federal prosecutors say they will press the case, and investigators have already laid out the travel, the hikes, and the paperwork they say proves the fraud. For taxpayers who pay for FECA and for honest federal agents, the outcome will matter. If the evidence holds up, expect aggressive sentencing and a reminder that anyone who treats public benefits like a personal travel fund can — and should — face real consequences.
