On February 24, 2021, Larry Lint was arrested in Butler County. The case was investigated by a Statewide Grand Jury which issued a written presentment of its findings. The presentment was filed in support of the criminal charges. According to the criminal complaint, Lint submitted three separate fraudulent claims to Nationwide Insurance in 2016 for losses that his agri-business known as the “Pig Farm” purportedly incurred on three different dates. The combined value of the claims totaled more than $300,000.00. According to the charging documents, Lint kept Eurasian boars and white-tailed deer on his Pig Farm property. In early 2016, Lint allegedly reported to Nationwide that he discovered a cut in the fence surrounding his property which resulted in the escape of approximately 150 boars and some white-tailed deer on January 1, 2016. According to the complaint, Lint told the insurer that he had purchased 70 boars at $485.00 a head. Nationwide paid Lint a total of $49,187.50 for the loss. On May 2, 2016, Lint filed a second claim with Nationwide in which he allegedly reported that 44 boars had escaped through a hole in the fence. Lint received $21,340.00 for that claim. According to the complaint, Lint filed a third claim on August 3, in which he maintained that 68 boars escaped from his property after a tree fell onto the protective fence. Nationwide investigated this claim and required Lint to undergo three different Examinations Under Oath in 2017. According to the complaint, Lint became uncooperative during the third Examination and Nationwide ultimately denied his claim. An investigation allegedly revealed that Lint had been experiencing financial difficulties leading up to his first claim in 2016, and that he had discussed cutting the fence and filing an insurance claim. Lint filed for bankruptcy on February 15, 2017. According to the complaint, the grand jury found that Lint schemed to keep a portion of funds that would otherwise go to his creditors. Lint also allegedly made misrepresentations during the course of his bankruptcy proceedings. The bankruptcy petition eventually was dismissed. Lint was charged with four counts of Insurance Fraud (F-3), two counts of Theft by Deception (F-3), one count of Criminal Attempt/Theft by Deception (F-3) and one count of Perjury (F-3).

On February 11, 2021, Denise Anastasio was arrested in Berks County. According to the criminal complaint, Anastasio filed a claim with Progressive Insurance on September 17, 2020, in which she stated that her 2007 Scion was vandalized after it became disabled in the parking lot of a Redner’s convenience store. Anastasio allegedly claimed that she drove the car to Redner’s to put air in the tires on September 12, but when she returned to the car, the key broke off in the ignition. Anastasio allegedly claimed that she locked the car and left it at Redner’s. The complaint further stated that Anastasio claimed that she was subsequently contacted by a Redner’s employee and advised to move her car. According to the complaint, Anastasio told Progressive that she arranged to have the car towed, but when she returned to Redner’s to meet the tow truck on September 14, Anastasio found that her car’s steering column and ignition had been damaged. Anastasio provided two digital photos of the damage to Progressive. According to the complaint, the photo metadata revealed that the pictures were taken on September 10, 2020, two days before Anastasio’s car purportedly became disabled at Redner’s. Progressive contacted Spring Township police and confirmed that Anastasio filed a vehicle vandalism report on September 1, 2020. According to police, Anastasio allegedly reported that she had loaned the car to someone who did not return it. According to the complaint, police provided Progressive with time and date-coded photos that were taken from the store’s video footage by Redner’s Security. The shots allegedly revealed that the Scion was parked at the store location from August 14 to August 17, 2020, a month earlier than Anastasio had claimed. The complaint further stated that Progressive determined that the car was not vandalized, but that the damage stemmed from mechanical failure not covered by the policy. The claim was denied. Anastasio allegedly admitted to investigators that the car was not in her possession when it became disabled at Redner’s. Anastasio was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F-3) and one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit Theft by Deception (F-3).

On February 19, 2021, Katherine Yova was arrested in Mercer County.  According to the criminal complaint, at 8:11 AM on November 15, 2020, Yova purchased a Progressive Insurance policy for her 2019 Hyundai. At 9:12 AM on the following day, Yova contacted the insurer and allegedly claimed that at approximately 6:30 AM during her commute to work, her vehicle struck a deer. According to the complaint, Progressive subsequently conducted a recorded interview of Yova, in which she maintained that the deer strike occurred after she purchased the vehicle policy. Yova subsequently provided the insurer with photos of the vehicle damage. According to the complaint, the photo metadata revealed that the damage was present before Yova insured the vehicle through Progressive. Progressive denied the claim. Yova was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F-3), one count of Criminal Attempt/Theft by Deception (F-3).

On February 23, 2021, Kevin Medina was arrested in Lancaster County.  According to the criminal complaint, On June 23, 2020, Medina purchased an automobile insurance policy from GEICO which covered liability only.  At 6:18 PM on August 28, 2020, Medina allegedly added comprehensive and collision coverage to his GEICO insurance policy.  The complaint stated that at 12:35 PM on August 30, Medina filed an online claim and reported that someone had vandalized his 2006 Explorer. Medina allegedly claimed that he found scratches and key marks on the vehicle’s driver side.  According to the complaint, an investigation revealed that Medina had reported the same damage in a previous claim to Progressive Insurance on May 14, 2020, for which he received $1023.81.  The complaint further stated that on September 2, 2020, an investigator conducted a recorded phone interview of Medina, during which Medina denied making any prior vandalism claims for his 2006 Explorer.  When the investigator confronted Medina about the Progressive claim, Medina allegedly stated that he had fixed the prior damage himself.  According to the complaint, Medina subsequently left a voicemail message for the investigator in which he admitted that the damage in both claims was the same. GEICO denied Medina’s claim.  Medina was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F-3) and one count of Criminal Attempt to Theft by Deception (M-1).

On February 19, 2021, Angela Rider and Jessica Mixell were arrested in Northumberland County.  According to the criminal complaint, Angela Rider’s Progressive automobile policy was cancelled for nonpayment on July 22, 2020. On July 28, Rider allegedly called Progressive to make a payment and was advised that her policy had been cancelled. According to the complaint, Rider told the insurer that her vehicle had not been involved in any losses since the date of the policy cancellation. The complaint stated that Rider then made a payment to Progressive and her policy was reinstated without a lapse in coverage at 6:49 PM on July 28, 2020. On August 3, 2020, Rider allegedly reported to Progressive that her daughter, Jessica Mixell, struck a deer while driving the insured vehicle at 4:39 AM that day. Rider allegedly claimed that police were not involved and that she rented a tow dolly to tow the vehicle to her house. However, when Progressive spoke with Mixell later that day, she allegedly reported that the vehicle was towed from the scene by Taylor’s Towing at a cost of $170.00. According to the complaint, Progressive contacted Taylor’s Towing and was advised that the vehicle had been towed on July 28, 2020. Additionally, the Pennsylvania State Police confirmed that the vehicle accident was called in at 4:39 AM on July 28, 2020. According to the complaint, Mixell and Rider allegedly maintained that the accident occurred on August 3. Progressive denied the claim. During a subsequent interview with investigators, Rider allegedly admitted that she had lied to Progressive. Both Rider and Mixell were charged with two counts of Insurance Fraud (F-3), one count of Criminal Attempt/Theft by Deception (F-3), and one count of Criminal Conspiracy/Theft by Deception (F-3).

On February 24, 2021, Alexa Estefania Lara and Jorge Lara-Castro were arrested in Chester County.  According to the criminal complaint, on April 30, 2020 at 5:22 PM, Lara-Castro obtained an automobile insurance policy from Progressive Insurance. On May 1, 2020, at 11:09 AM, Lara-Castro’s daughter Alexa Lara called Progressive Insurance and allegedly reported that a tree had fallen on her vehicle early that morning. At the request of Progressive, Lara allegedly sent in three photographs of the damage, which was estimated at more than $15,000.00. On May 13, 2020, Lara-Castro spoke to a claims representative and allegedly stated that the loss had occurred at approximately 3:00 AM on May 1. Lara-Castro allegedly advised that he purchased the vehicle about 6 months earlier and that he obtained the Progressive policy on April 30^th after learning that his prior coverage with Allstate had been cancelled. According to the complaint, an investigator took a recorded statement from Lara on May 19, 2020. During the statement, Lara allegedly maintained that the accident occurred on May 1 and advised that she had the vehicle towed. The investigator spoke to a representative at Fling’s Towing who allegedly reported that the company responded to the scene at 3:19 PM on April 30, 2020, rather than on May 1. According to the complaint, the tow company representative further stated that when the tow truck driver arrived at the scene, the driver observed the fallen tree limb on the vehicle and ultimately did not tow it. Progressive Insurance denied the claim. Both Lara and Lara-Castro were charged with two counts of Insurance Fraud (F-3), one count of Criminal Attempt/Theft by Deception (F-3), one count of Criminal Conspiracy (F-3) and one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility.

On February 25, 2021, Kaylee Welch was arrested in McKean County.  According to the criminal complaint, on February 29, 2020, Welch was driving her 2013 Escape when a deer struck the driver’s side of the vehicle and caused it to crash into a tree. The resulting damage was valued at approximately $7,961.35. On March 2, 2020, Welch allegedly obtained a Progressive Insurance vehicle policy.  Welch filed a claim with Progressive on March 6, in which she allegedly reported that the accident had occurred on March 5. The complaint further stated that Welch told the insurer that the vehicle had no prior damage.  However, according to the complaint, investigators obtained footage from a neighbor’s security camera which revealed that the damage to Welch’s Escape was present on February 29, 2020, before she obtained insurance coverage. During a subsequent interview, Welch allegedly admitted that she obtained the Progressive Insurance policy after the accident occurred. Welch was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F-3) and one count of Criminal Attempt/Theft by Deception (F-3). 

On February 23, 2021, Thomas William Simpkins was arrested in Green County.  According to the criminal complaint, on March 6, 2020, Simpkins purchased full coverage for his Chevy Cruze from Progressive Insurance. On April 10, 2020, Simpkins filed a claim with the insurer and allegedly reported that the front and rear passenger doors of the Cruze were damaged in a hit and run accident. The complaint stated that Simpkins provided the insurer with photos of the damage. The photo metadata allegedly confirmed that the photos were taken on April 13, 2020. Progressive paid Simpkins $1,935.88 on the claim.  According to the complaint, the policy was cancelled for non-payment of premium on July 1, 2020. On August 14, Simpkins allegedly purchased a new policy from Progressive. According to the complaint, he subsequently filed a claim and reported that the passenger side of his vehicle had been damaged in another hit and run accident. According to the complaint, investigators compared photos from both claims and determined that the damage to Simpkins’ vehicle was the same. Progressive denied the August claim.  Simpkins was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F-3) and one count of Criminal Attempt/Theft by Deception (M-1).

Pennsylvania Bulletin Notice 2016-04 (issued April 30, 2016) reminded insurers of their obligations to report suspected arson or insurance fraud to law enforcement agencies within the Commonwealth.  The bulletin also announced a decision by the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance to allow licensees to satisfy their reporting obligation when they electronically submit reports of suspected fraud to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

 

On July 6, 2017, Pennsylvania began participating in this online service which enables member companies to electronically forward reports of suspected fraud to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section or other appropriate law enforcement agencies at the same time the companies report suspicious claims to the NICB. NOTE: The NICB is not a law enforcement agency. Therefore, a licensee cannot satisfy the fraud reporting requirement by submitting a non-electronic (paper) referral only to the NICB.

 

Important: When utilizing electronic filing through NICB, users should take careful note of the provided instructions regarding the “Party” to a claim.  Information entered about a Party will only be transmitted to law enforcement if users select one of two options: “This Party was subject to an SIU investigation” or “This Party was subject to an enforcement action.”  Some users have missed this notation about individual Party data and consequently have submitted incomplete information to law enforcement.