‘Yellowstone’ Star Arrested – Hit With Felony Charges

An actress from the hit Paramount+ series “Yellowstone” has been arrested and hit with multiple felony fraud charges.

‘Yellowstone’ Actress Arrested

Fox News reported that Q’orianka Kilcher, 32, has been accused of collecting nearly $97,000 through a workers’ compensation fraud, even though she was still physically able to work. This has resulted in the North Hollywood resident being hit with two felony counts of workers’ compensation insurance fraud after the actress collected $96,838 in temporary disability benefits between 2019 and 2021, according to the California Department of Insurance. 

Officials claim that Kilcher collected these funds over the course of several months while she was simultaneously working on the set of “Yellowstone” portraying the character of Angela Blue Thunder, who she played in four episodes back in 2020. 

Related: Kevin Costner Opens Up About Future Of ‘Yellowstone’

The insurance company stated that Kilcher first began receiving disability back in 2018 after injuring her neck and right shoulder while riding in a production vehicle on the set of the film Dora And The Lost City Of God.

Kilcher’s Alleged Scheme

For the next year, Kilcher claimed that she could not work because of the severe neck pain that she alleged she was suffering from in the wake of this incident. However, the company alleges that in reality, Kilcher returned to work while also continuing to collect her benefits.

“According to records, she returned to the doctor and started receiving disability benefits five days after last working on the show,” the insurance company said. 

People Magazine reported that the company went on to claim that Kilcher “saw a doctor a few times that year, but stopped treatment and did not respond to the insurance company handling her claim on behalf of her employer.”

The doctor who initially responded to Kilcher’s insurance claim said that if he had known that she was employed on “Yellowstone” in 2019, he “would never have granted her the disability payments.”

Related: ‘Yellowstone’ Star Kevin Costner Reveals What Makes A ‘Good Western’

Kilcher Claims Her Innocence

Kilcher, who surrendered to authorities in May, has maintained her innocence, claiming that she never collected benefits that she was not entitled to. 

“Third-party doctors verified her injury and entitlement to benefits,” said Michael Becker, Kilcher’s attorney. “Ms. Kilcher was at all times candid with her doctors and treatment providers… and she never intentionally accepted benefits that she did not believe she was entitled to.”

Becker went on to say that Kilcher will “vigorously defend herself and asks that she be afforded the presumption of innocence both in and outside the courthouse.” 

Becker appeared in court in Los Angeles on Monday on Kilcher’s behalf. Her next court date is set to take place on August 7, but it is unclear if she will actually be appearing in court herself at that time.

“Yellowstone” is a massive hit show that also stars Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, Luke Grimes and Wes Bentley. It has run for four seasons so far, and the fifth season is currently filming, with it scheduled to air later this year on Paramount+. The show has inspired the spinoff “1883,” starring Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, as well as the upcoming spinoff “1923,” which is set to star Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren.