Arrests for November 2001
These arrests were made possible through the cooperation of the Frauds Bureau, law enforcement, the insurance industry and the public.
To report suspected incidents of insurance fraud, call 1-888-FRAUDNY
CAUGHT!
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GUILTY PLEAS IN THREE FRAUD CASES
- A Monroe County registered nurse pleaded guilty to petit larceny on 11/5/01 for her involvement in a no-fault fraud scheme. Following an auto accident in November 1998, the nurse began receiving no-fault lost-wage benefits. However, an investigation conducted by the Frauds Bureau and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office revealed that in February 2000, she resumed full-time work as a nurse but continued to collect benefits until her benefit period expired in May 2000. During the February-May 2000 period, she received almost $5,400 to which she was not entitled. She was sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to repay the insurer $5,380.92. In addition, she was ordered to surrender her nursing license and not to reapply for licensing without the Court’s permission.
- The mother in a family of five admitted on 11/27/01 that she tried to defraud her insurer of more than $40,000. She told the judge that she forged a physician’s signature on medical and disability claims and collected the benefits to which she was not entitled. All five family members were arrested on 9/18/01 and charged in this case, following an investigation by the Frauds Bureau, the Oswego County District Attorney’s Office and the Oswego County Sheriff’s Department. An Oswego County Court judge will sentence the defendant on 1/15/01 to six months in jail and five years’ probation. The judge will return the cases of the other family members – the father and three grown children – to town court where a town judge will decide whether to dismiss the charges against them.
- A self-employed psychologist who filed phony claims in order to defraud an insurer of more than $65,000 pleaded guilty on 11/30. From September 1997 through August 2000, she fraudulently billed the insurer for 1,000 phantom treatments involving 29 patients. She will avoid prison time if she makes restitution to the insurer on or before her 2/28/02 sentencing date. She was arrested on 10/29/01 following an investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.
- OH, BROTHER
Arrested on 11/28/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree and falsely reporting an incident
The Frauds Bureau and the New York State Police pooled resources in an investigation that led to the arrest of a Buffalo woman who allegedly falsely reported that her car was stolen on 6/4/01. She then submitted a claim to her insurer and received a settlement of $7,000 for the loss. However, her car was found in November 2001 in a backyard covered with a tarpaulin. The investigation revealed that the backyard was the property of the defendant’s brother. Prior to the reported theft, the car was in need of $3,400 in repairs. But before the brother could have the car repaired, he was arrested and sent to prison in Ohio. With no brother to help her get the car fixed and not enough money to have it fixed professionally, the defendant reported it stolen.
- NO FARE
Arrested on 11/27/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd and 4th degrees
This suspect, while allegedly employed as a bus driver from March to August 1998, collected more than $3,000 in workers’ compensation benefits and over $1,000 medical benefits to which he was not entitled. The investigation was conducted by the Frauds Bureau.
- LIGHTNING STRIKES
Arrested on 11/27/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 5th degree
The defendant in this case was accused of submitting a fraudulent claim to her insurer stating that on 5/18/00, lightning damaged her air conditioner. She submitted a receipt for repairs in the amount of $3,084.73. However, an investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office revealed that the cost of repairs was actually $84.73. The defendant allegedly altered the bill.
- SURVEILLANCE ENDS SCAM
Arrested on 11/26/01
Charged with committing a fraudulent practice under New York State Workers’ Compensation Law
Following the investigation of a complaint received by the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office, a former Otsego County employee was arrested and charged with collecting workers’ compensation benefits while she was employed. She allegedly filed a written document falsely stating she was not working at the time. However, the Frauds Bureau and the Otsego County Sheriff’s Office conducted surveillance that determined she was working as a home health care aide.
- CANDID CAMERA
Arrestedon 11/20/01
Charged with falsifying business records and petit larceny
A Bronx man was issued a check on 7/24/01 for $948 in settlement of an auto insurance claim. He subsequently reported to the insurer that he never received the check and since the check had been cashed, he submitted a notarized document stating that the signature on the check was not his. The insurer issued a second check which the defendant cashed. An investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the NYPD revealed that both checks were cashed by the defendant at a Pay-O-Matic check-cashing location in the Bronx. He was observed by a routine surveillance camera set up at the check-cashing facility.
- NO FREE LUNCH
Arrested on 11/19/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree, grand larceny in the 3rd degree, perjury in the 1st degree and workers’ compensation fraud
This suspect, a crew manager at an upstate fast-food restaurant, was charged with receiving workers’ compensation benefits under false pretences. From 9/29/00 to 5/17/01, she collected more than $5,000 while working for a catering service. The charges allege that she submitted false work-status reports to her insurer and lied under oath at her workers’ compensation hearing. The investigation was carried out by the Frauds Bureau with the assistance of the Workers’ Compensation Inspector General’s Office.
- NO, NO, NO-FAULT
Arrested on 11/16/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 4th degree, attempted grand larceny in the 4th degree and falsifying business records in the 2nd degree
A Bronx man was accused of altering a police accident report and submitting it to a medical facility in an attempt to receive more than $1,000 in no-fault insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
- PAID IN CASH
Arrested on 11/15/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree, grand larceny in the 3rd degree, perjury in the 1st degree and workers’ compensation fraud
A former aide at a Home for Seniors filed a workers’ compensation claim on 9/14/99 and from that time until 12/12/00, she received over $7,000 in workers’ compensation benefits. However, the suspect was videotaped cleaning a house and subsequently received payment of $150 in cash from a private investigator hired by her insurance company. She also was charged with lying under oath at her workers’ compensation hearing. She was arrested by the Frauds Bureau with the assistance of the Geneva Police Department.
- COVERAGE TOO LATE TO COUNT
Arrested on 11/15/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree
The defendant in this case was involved in a one-car accident on 8/26/01 that totally demolished her car. At the time, she had only liability coverage. So on 9/5/01, she added collision and comprehensive coverage to her policy and reported to her insurer that the accident occurred on 9/18/01. Her attempt to defraud her insurer of $7,953 to cover the loss was discovered during an investigation by the Frauds Bureau, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Department and the insurer’s Special Investigations Unit.
- NO ALTERATIONS, PLEASE
Arrested on 11/14/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 5th degree and falsifying business records
An investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the NYPD brought about the arrest of this suspect accused of submitting an altered police accident report to a medical clinic in order to obtain benefits under her no-fault insurance coverage.
- WORKERS’ COMP FRAUD
Arrested on 11/14/01
Charged with grand larceny in the 3rd degree
Following an investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, a Long Island resident was arrested on charges that he submitted false documentation to his workers’ compensation insurer. As a result, he received nearly $12,800 in benefits to which he was not entitled.
- ILL-GOTTEN GAINS
Arrested on 11/13/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree
This suspect was accused of submitting documents containing false information that was directly material to his workers’ compensation case. Consequently, he received $45,000 in undeserved benefits. His arrest came as a result of an investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the State Insurance Fund.
- TWO-FER
Arrested on 11/9/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd, 4th and 5th degrees, conspiracy in the 5th degree, attempted grand larceny in the 3rd degree, falsifying business records in the 1st and 2nd degrees and falsely reporting an incident in the 3rd degree
The defendant in this case, together with another person also apprehended and four others not apprehended, was accused of generating a false police accident report in order to collect no-fault insurance benefits to which he was not entitled.
- DRIVER FLEES SCENE, FILES CLAIM
Arrested on 11/8/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree, leaving the scene of an accident without reporting it and falsely reporting an incident in the 3rd degree
An investigation by the Frauds Bureau, the New York State Police and the Buffalo Police Department led to the arrest of a Buffalo laborer on charges that he was involved in an auto accident on 9/2/00 that caused serious injury to the elderly driver of the other car. The defendant allegedly fled the scene after refusing to identify himself. He was also charged with filing a fraudulent police report and submitting fraudulent documents to his insurer, claiming his car was stolen prior to the date of the accident. Before the investigation turned up evidence to the contrary, his insurer paid out $4,000 in benefits.
- PHANTOM INJURIES
Arrested on 11/7/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 4th degree, falsifying business records in the 2nd degree and grand larceny in the 4th degree
Two Bronx residents, working with two other people not arrested at the time, allegedly submitted an altered police accident report that falsely claimed they were involved in an auto accident when in fact they were not. The pair sought and received medical treatment for fictitious injuries and submitted fraudulent claims under their no-fault insurance coverage. Their arrest followed an investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the NYPD.
- JOBLESS
Arrested on 11/5/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree and attempted grand larceny in the 3rd degree
This defendant was accused of reporting to his insurer that on 11/9/00 he was a passenger in a car driven by his brother when the car was involved in a one-car accident. He subsequently filed a claim for no-fault benefits stating that he was "scheduled to start work on the day of the accident." He further claimed that he was to be paid $6.25 an hour for a six-day workweek. Investigators from the Frauds Bureau and the insurer’s Special Investigations Unit contacted the purported employer who informed them that the defendant had applied for a job but was never hired. As of July 2001, the defendant’s claim for lost wages totaled over $10,000. He surrendered on 11/5/01 to the Buffalo Police Department on an outstanding arrest warrant.
- REAL ESTATE SALESMAN
Arrested on 11/2/01
Charged with grand larceny in the 3rd degree and insurance fraud in the 3rd degree
A Long Island real estate salesman was charged with collecting $8,500 in workers’ compensation benefits while he was employed full time. His arrest was the result of an investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.
- CANADIAN DEER CAPER
Arrested on 11/1/01
Charged with insurance fraud in the 3rd degree and attempted grand larceny in the 3rd degree
An investigation by the Frauds Bureau and the defendant’s insurer uncovered evidence that this suspect hit a deer while traveling in Canada on 5/4/01. At the time of the accident, she was driving a loaner vehicle owned by an auto repair shop near her Amherst, NY, home. The shop was repairing damages to her car sustained in a previous accident. The investigation further revealed that on 4/22/01, her insurer had canceled her policy due to the earlier accident. When the repair shop informed the defendant that she was responsible for the damages to the loaner – estimated at $5,099 – she obtained coverage from a new insurer on 5/10/01 and on 5/12/01 filed a claim stating she had struck a deer in Canada. But when investigators checked with U.S. Customs, they were informed that the only date the defendant’s vehicle crossed into Canada was 5/4/01.
