Kia Hamster Actor: Cops Plea in Welfare Fraud Case ... I Was Dancing While 'Disabled'

One of the hip-hop hamsters in the famous Kia ads has just pled no contest to felony insurance fraud ... after taking disability money while dancing up a storm.

Leroy Barnes snagged California disability money between Sept., 2010 and Sept. 2011, claiming he couldn't work when in fact he was dancing in the Kia commercials.

Barnes had claimed in 2010 he was injured while working as a dancer and was struck by a piece of ceiling during sound check. As a result, he collected the disability for which he has been prosecuted.

Barnes was sentenced to 90 days of electronic monitoring and 400 hours of community service. He also has to repay $24k to the State of California.

The dancer's credits include dancing for Madonna, Chris Brown and Kelly Roland.