Carbon County Man Charged with Multiple Offenses Following
Joint Investigation
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On September 22, 2023, law enforcement authorities filed amended criminal charges in Carbon County against Adam Herman following an investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section and Medicaid Fraud Control Section, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to the complaint, Herman has held himself out for many years as a licensed medical provider to members of the medical community in Carbon County and surrounding areas, despite the fact that he was never licensed as a doctor, nurse, or any other medical professional authorized to treat patients or prescribe medication. The complaint further stated that a licensed medical doctor in Carbon County knew Herman for many years and believed him to be a registered nurse. In early 2022, the doctor and Herman allegedly agreed to jointly operate a business that would provide medical care to residents of assisted living facilities and personal care homes. The complaint stated that under the agreement, the doctor would oversee all medical services, including services provided by nurse practitioners whom the doctor supervised, and Herman would run the business operations. However, according to the complaint, the doctor became seriously ill in September 2022, and remained so until July 2023, during which time he was unable to practice medicine. The complaint stated that while the doctor was seriously ill, Herman treated care dependent patients who resided in at least eight different assisted living facilities or personal care homes. Despite having no medical license or training, Herman allegedly examined patients, drew blood, diagnosed conditions, gave injections and prescribed medications, including some prescriptions for Controlled Substances, which according to the complaint, he was able to prescribe only by improperly using the doctor’s cellphone authenticator app. According to the complaint, Herman routinely misread test results and rendered incorrect treatments and medications to patients. Herman allegedly submitted prescriptions in the doctor’s name and listed him as the prescribing provider, without the doctor’s knowledge or consent. The complaint stated that patient visits and prescriptions were purportedly authorized by the doctor had been billed to private insurers, Medicaid and federal insurance programs, including Medicare. Herman was charged with one count of Identity Theft (F2), three counts of Medicaid Fraud (F3), one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Tampering with Records (F3), one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (F3), three counts of Acquisition of a Controlled Substance by Fraud (F), three counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance (F), one count of Use of Another Person’s Registration Number to Deliver a Controlled Substance (M), one count of Forgery (M1), one count of Impersonating Holder of Professional/Occupational License (M1), four counts of Reckless Endangerment of Another Person (M2), thirteen counts of Neglect of a Care-Dependent Person (F3), one count of Theft by Deception (F2), and one count of Unlawful Use of a Computer (F3).
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On September 28, 2023, Tracey Hann was arrested in Franklin County. According to the criminal complaint, on April 15, 2022, Hann obtained a liability only auto policy from Progressive Insurance, which covered his 2015 Toyota Corolla. Hann allegedly added comprehensive coverage to the vehicle on July 7, 2022, with an effective date of July 12. The complaint stated that on July 26, 2022, Hann contacted Progressive and informed the representative that as Hann was driving the Toyota to work at approximately 5:00 AM that morning, the car struck a deer. Hann allegedly provided photographs to Progressive, which depicted the damage to his vehicle. According to the complaint, investigators examined the photo metadata and determined that the pictures had been taken on July 7, which was before Hann added comprehensive coverage to his vehicle coverage. Progressive denied the claim. Hann was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On September 28, 2023, Alonzo Seay was arrested in Allegheny County. According to the criminal complaint, on May 20, 2022, Seay filed a claim with Root Insurance for a deer strike that resulted in damage to the driver’s side of his 2007 Toyota Tundra. Seay allegedly provided photographs of the damage to the insurer. The complaint stated that Seay’s claim was denied because his vehicle insurance covered liability only. On February 24, 2023, Seay allegedly purchased a new Root Insurance liability policy for his 2007 Toyota Tundra. The complaint stated that on March 31, Seay removed the Tundra from the policy, but added a different vehicle and coverage for comprehensive and collision. On May 15, 2023, Seay allegedly removed the insured vehicle from the policy, then added his Tundra to the full coverage policy. At approximately 10:30 AM on June 3, 2023, Seay allegedly reported to Root that he had been driving the Tundra home from the grocery store on the evening of June 2, 2023, when his vehicle struck a deer. The complaint stated that Seay used Root’s cellular telephone app to upload photos of his damaged Tundra. In reviewing the claim, investigators allegedly discovered Seay’s previous deer strike claim from May 2022. According to the complaint, the investigators compared photographs that Seay had submitted to the insurer in support of the two deer strike claims, and determined that the damage to the Tundra’s driver’s side appeared to be identical in both sets of photos. Seay allegedly advised Root that he had repaired the 2022 damage prior to the 2023 deer strike. However, the complaint stated that investigators contacted the shop that purportedly had fixed the prior damage and confirmed that the repairs were never made. When the investigators showed the repair shop owner the two sets of claim photos, the owner allegedly agreed that the Tundra’s driver’s side damage appeared to be the same in both. Root denied the June 3, 2023, claim. Seay was charged with one count for Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On September 26, 2023, Farrukh Khokhar was arrested in Chester County. According to the criminal complaint, at 2:14 AM on June 26, 2022, Khokhar filed an online claim with Progressive Insurance Company in which he stated that he had been driving his 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 in Philadelphia at approximately 1:00 AM, when the vehicle was involved in an accident. Khokhar allegedly advised that the crash had occurred when another vehicle ran a red light at an intersection and slammed into the Mercedes. The driver of the other vehicle allegedly fled the accident scene. The complaint stated that Khokhar subsequently supplied Progressive with photographs that he had taken of his damaged vehicle. A Progressive adjuster conducted a recorded interview of Khokhar on June 27. During the interview, Khokhar allegedly claimed to have taken the photographs at 12:51 AM, no more than five minutes after the crash had occurred. However, according to the complaint, investigators reviewed the photo metadata and found that the pictures had been taken at 12:06 AM, nearly 30 minutes before Khokhar purchased his coverage from Progressive. The complaint further stated that an eyewitness to the accident and responding police stated that the accident actually occurred at 11:54 PM on June 25, 2022. Khokhar was confronted with this information during a follow-up interview by Progressive, and allegedly admitted that loss had occurred around midnight. The claim was denied. Khokhar was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3), and one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (F3).
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On September 13, 2023, Charles Paul Williams was arrested in Philadelphia County. According to the criminal complaint, in September 2021, Williams provided a general contractor with a Certificate of Insurance, which purportedly showed that Williams’ roofing business was insured for commercial general liability through Landmark American Insurance Company. According to the complaint, Williams was required to provide the general contractor with proof of insurance in order to work as the roofing subcontractor for a home renovation job in Philadelphia. The complaint stated that the general contractor relied on the purported Certificate of Insurance and hired Williams to do the roofing work. On October 16, 2021, Williams allegedly failed to properly affix a tarp to the roof, which resulted in water damage to the home. According to the complaint, when the general contractor’s insurer submitted a claim to Landmark American, it was discovered that Williams did not have commercial general liability coverage and that the Certificate of Insurance had been forged. An investigation allegedly revealed that Williams had provided the general contractor with an altered version of a 2009 Landmark American Insurance Certificate. Williams was charged with one count of Forgery (F3), one count of Theft by Deception (F3), and one count of Tampering with Records or Identification (M1).
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On September 13, 2023, Andrew Anderson was arrested in Fulton County. According to the criminal complaint, on April 25, 2023, Anderson reported to Sentry Insurance that his 2015 Chrysler 200S struck a deer on April 19. Anderson allegedly told the insurer that the impact damaged the right front area of the vehicle and caused the Chrysler’s airbag to deploy. Anderson allegedly claimed that the vehicle had no prior damage. The complaint stated that Sentry Insurance conducted an investigation and discovered a similar claim made by Anderson in December 2021. Investigators compared photographs that were submitted in support of each of the claims and allegedly determined that the damage to the Chrysler appeared to be nearly identical in both sets of photos, except the more recent photos revealed that the Chrysler also had a broken headlight. When Sentry Insurance contacted Anderson about the findings, Anderson allegedly claimed that he had the vehicle repaired following the December 2021 claim. The complaint stated that when Sentry asked for receipts and other documentation of the purported repairs, Anderson became uncooperative. Ultimately, Sentry denied the April 2023 claim. During an interview with law enforcement investigators, Anderson allegedly admitted that he never repaired the prior damage to his Chrysler and that he made misrepresentations to Sentry in support of his April 2023 claim. Anderson was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On September 13, 2023, Reneelyn Corley was arrested in Washington County. According to the criminal complaint, Corley’s Progressive Insurance automobile policy was canceled for non-payment of the premium on June 7, 2022. On December 1, 2022, Corley allegedly purchased a new Progressive policy, which covered her 2015 Ford F-250 and her 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250. The complaint stated that on February 2, 2023, Corley contacted Progressive and claimed that a hailstorm that occurred on December 17, 2022, damaged both of her vehicles. However, a claims investigator allegedly checked three different weather-related websites and found no report of hail storms having occurred in the area of Corley’s home on or around the date of December 17, 2022. The complaint further stated that the websites revealed that the most recent hail storm occurred in the vicinity of Corley’s residence on November 27, 2022, which was before Corley purchased her new Progressive policy. According to the complaint, investigators also found that Corley had filed a homeowner’s claim with Encompass Insurance, for damage that the November 27, 2022 hail storm caused to her residence and vehicles. Encompass allegedly advised Corley that her homeowner’s policy would cover the damage to her residence, but not the damage to her vehicles. Progressive denied Corley’s vehicle claims, due to her alleged misrepresentation of the facts of loss. Corley was charged with two counts of Insurance Fraud (F3) and two counts of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On September 12, 2023, Kelley Katko was arrested in Washington County. According to the criminal complaint, on October 25, 2022, Katko purchased coverage for her 2003 Honda Accord from Progressive Insurance. On November 18, 2022, Katko allegedly removed the 2003 Accord from the policy, then added a 2012 Honda with comprehensive, but not collision coverage. The complaint stated that on January 23, 2023, Katko went online and reported to Progressive that she had been driving the 2012 Honda when it struck a vehicle that was stopped at a traffic light. According to the complaint, Progressive advised Katko that there would be no coverage for the damage to her Honda, because the policy did not include collision coverage. On January 27, Katko allegedly provided Progressive with a document that she had purportedly received from the insurer, which indicated that she had full coverage on the vehicle. During an interview conducted by investigators, Katko allegedly admitted that she did not have full coverage. Her claim was denied. Katko was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3), one count of Tampering with Records or Identification (M1), and one count of Forgery (M1).
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On September 11, 2023, Thomas Halye was arrested in Schuylkill County. According to the criminal complaint, on June 30, 2021, at 3:04 PM CDT, Halye obtained an auto policy from Permanent General Assurance Corporation of Ohio (The General), which included liability and uninsured motorist coverage for his 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. The complaint stated that the policy was canceled on August 6, 2021, after Hayle’s initial payment was returned for insufficient funds. At 10:00 PM on July 27, 2021, Halye allegedly contacted The General and reported that he had fallen asleep while driving his 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo at 1:00 AM on July 16, and that the Jeep had struck a building. According to the complaint, Hayle told the insurer that the Jeep’s front end was damaged as a result of the accident, as was the front vestibule of the Mountaineer Hose Company in Minersville. An investigation of the claim ensued and investigators obtained a copy of the report filed by responding police. According to the complaint, the police report revealed that the accident occurred at approximately 7:00 AM on June 29, 2021, which was prior to the inception of Hayle’s policy. The General denied Halye’s claim. Halye was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On September 8, 2023, Quinn Wise surrendered to authorities in Montgomery County. According to the criminal complaint, on July 7, 2022, Wise added a 2017 Range Rover Sport to her existing Progressive Insurance automobile policy. She allegedly purchased comprehensive and collision coverage for the Range Rover, insuring the vehicle for the purported actual cash value of $70,000.00. According to the complaint, if the vehicle was stolen, Wise would receive the full $70,000.00 value of the car from the insurer, minus a $500.00 deductible. During the process of obtaining coverage, Wise allegedly provided the insurer with a fraudulent vehicle identification number (VIN) for the vehicle, as well as an invalid license plate number, or “dead plate.” The complaint further stated that license plate readers later revealed that Wise had been illegally using the same dead plate on three other vehicles in 2021 and 2022. On July 31, 2022, Wise allegedly reported to Progressive that her Range Rover had been stolen. According to the complaint, Wise told Progressive representatives that she had purchased the vehicle in Atlanta, Georgia, after seeing it advertised for sale on Facebook Marketplace. When she was questioned about her trip to Atlanta, Wise allegedly claimed that she had no receipts from the trip and that she paid the seller $45,000.00 in cash for the Range Rover. According to the complaint, investigators found that Wise had presented a forged Georgia Certificate of Title for the vehicle when she obtained a Pennsylvania title for the Range Rover. An investigation allegedly revealed that Wise never possessed the Range Rover, which she insured and claimed was stolen. Progressive denied Wise’s claim. Wise was charged with two counts of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3), one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (F3), and one count of Possession of Altered or Forged Documents (M1).
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On September 6, 2023, Leslie Rhames was arrested in Montgomery County. According to the criminal complaint, on June 1, 2021, Rhames applied to Progressive Insurance for coverage of her 2018 Honda CRV. On the policy application, Rhames allegedly listed her home address as Norristown, PA. According to the complaint, on April 19, 2022, Rhames reported to Progressive that her insured CRV had been damaged when it was struck from behind by a hit-and-run driver in Philadelphia. On September 12, 2022, Progressive conducted an Examination under Oath, during which Rhames allegedly testified that she lived at the Norristown address when she obtained the policy. An investigation allegedly revealed that Rhames actually lived in Philadelphia, rather than in Norristown, and that she changed the address on her driver’s license to a Norristown address several days after the April 19 accident. According to the complaint, had Progressive known that Rhames actually lived at the Philadelphia address when she applied for coverage, she would have been charged nearly twice the amount of policy premium that she paid to insure her Honda at the purported Norristown address. Progressive denied the claim. Rhames was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3), one count of Criminal Use of Communication Facility (F3), one count of Forgery (F3), one count of Perjury (F3), and one count of Insurance Fraud (M1).
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On September 1, 2023, Issamyra Alamo-Gonzalez was arrested in Philadelphia County. According to the criminal complaint, on November 21, 2020, Omni Insurance canceled Alamo-Gonzalez’s vehicle policy for non-payment. On June 17, 2021, at approximately 9:11 AM, Alamo-Gonzalez allegedly was driving her 2008 Honda Accord in Philadelphia when the Honda was involved in a three-car accident. The complaint stated that according to the police crash report, Alamo-Gonzalez provided proof of insurance, indicating that her vehicle was insured by Omni. The complaint further stated that later that day, Alamo-Gonzalez obtained a new policy from Infinity Insurance. Alamo-Gonzalez then allegedly went to a hospital and complained of injuries that she purportedly had suffered as a result of her earlier accident. According to the complaint, Alamo-Gonzalez provided the hospital with information about her new Infinity policy, including the policy number. The complaint further stated that on October 1, 2021, Infinity received bills totaling approximately $2,500.00, for treatment that Alamo-Gonzalez received at the hospital for injuries that purportedly resulted from the June 17 accident. In a recorded follow-up interview conducted by investigators, Alamo-Gonzalez allegedly insisted that she had obtained her policy prior to the accident, but she could not recall the exact date. According to the complaint, the insurer confirmed that Alamo-Gonzalez never had an Infinity policy prior to June 17, 2021. Infinity denied coverage for Alamo-Gonzalez’s hospital bills. Alamo-Gonzalez was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3), and one count of Criminal Use of Communication Facility (F3).
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On September 1, 2023, criminal charges were filed in Dauphin County against Ahmed Lopez-Roman. Lopez’s arrest was the most recent in a series of prosecutions recommended by the 47th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, following a lengthy investigation into illegal activity involving vehicles in Pennsylvania. According to written presentments issued by the Grand Jury in 2022, the investigation was conducted by the Office of Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section and Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, with the assistance of the Lehigh County Auto Theft Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police Auto Theft Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department. The charging documents alleged that in many instances, out-of-state salvage vehicle titles were “flipped” to Pennsylvania salvage titles, then fraudulently converted to Pennsylvania reconstructed vehicle titles. The presentments detailed numerous instances in which applications for Pennsylvania reconstructed vehicle titles contained false statements or fraudulent documentation indicating that the vehicles had been examined by certified enhanced safety inspectors and deemed to be roadworthy, when in fact many of the vehicles were never seen by the inspectors. Lopez was charged with one count of Dealing in Proceeds of Unlawful Activity (F1), one count of Criminal Conspiracy (F1), four counts of Corrupt Organizations (F1), one count of Washing Vehicle Titles (F3), one count of Tampering with Public Records or Information (F3), one count of Receiving Stolen Property (F3), one count of Identity Theft (F3), one count of Theft by Deception (F3), one count of False Application for Certificate of Title or Registration (M1), one count of Altered, Forged, or Counterfeit Documents (M1), and one count of Unsworn Falsification to Authorities (M3).
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On September 28, 2023, Adam Jones was sentenced in Somerset County after entering an open plea to one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1). On September 2, 2022, Jones purchased a full coverage automobile insurance policy from Progressive Insurance for his 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck. The truck’s previous Progressive coverage lapsed on July 20, 2022. On September 12, 2022, Jones filed a claim with Progressive for front end damage to his truck, which purportedly occurred the previous day, while Jones’ Dodge Ram was parked at a truck rental lot in Johnstown. Jones claimed that as he was returning a rental truck, the Dodge Ram popped out of gear, coasted downhill into a wooded area and struck a large tree. During a recorded interview with Progressive on September 14, 2022, Jones stated that his Dodge Ram had no prior body damage. A Progressive adjuster inspected Jones’ truck at the rental lot and determined that area’s topography would have made it impossible for the truck to have been damaged under the circumstances that Jones had reported. During the investigation, Progressive representatives interviewed multiple witnesses, including Jones’ sister, who stated the Dodge Ram was damaged at Jones’ house on August 21, 2022, when the truck rolled down the driveway and struck a post in a neighbor’s yard. The August 2022 incident was captured by the video surveillance system at the sister’s home. A friend of Jones’ sister had posted photos of the truck’s damaged front end on Facebook. During an interview conducted by a Progressive investigator, Jones acknowledged the August 21 accident that his sister had described; however, Jones maintained that the same area of his truck was damaged further in the subsequent September 11 incident. However, the investigation confirmed that Jones’ truck was damaged prior to September 11. Jones admitted to investigators that he had not been truthful when he first told Progressive that his truck had no prior damage. Jones was sentenced to serve 24 months of probation and ordered to perform 50 hours of community service. He was ordered to pay a fine of $400.00 and all court and prosecution costs.
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On September 23, 2023, Dana Weston was sentenced in Montgomery County after he entered a negotiated plea to one count of Insurance Fraud (F3). Weston had been driving another individual’s 2012 Audi A8, when the car was involved in a two-vehicle accident on June 24, 2020. The Audi’s owner purchased a Progressive Insurance policy for the car the following day and then filed a claim. During the claim process, Weston provided Progressive with a recorded statement, in which he maintained that the crash had occurred on the evening of June 25, between 11:30 PM and 12:00 AM. However, the police accident report revealed that the crash actually occurred shortly after 10:00 PM on June 24, 2020. Weston was sentenced to a period of time served to 12 months of incarceration. He was ordered to pay all costs.
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On September 18, 2023, Michelle Marvon was sentenced in Adams County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Insurance Application Fraud (M1). On June 27, 2022, Marvon’s fiancé acquired a full coverage vehicle policy from Esurance for a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria. An Esurance representative told Marvon’s fiancé that the new policy would become effective on June 28, 2022, at 12:01 AM. Marvon subsequently called the insurer and canceled the policy at 7:03 PM on June 27. She then obtained a new Esurance policy for the Crown Victoria, which became effective at 7:20 PM. Marvon and her fiancé each told the insurer during the policy application process that the Crown Victoria had not been involved in any prior losses. On June 28, Marvon’s fiancé called Esurance and claimed that his Crown Victoria had been involved in a two-vehicle accident at approximately 6:00 PM on June 27. According to Marvon’s fiancé, the accident occurred after he initially obtained coverage from Esurance. However, the police accident report indicated that the crash was first reported at 5:29 PM on June 27, prior to the inception of the Esurance policy. Marvon was sentenced to serve 12 months of probation. She was ordered to pay a $500 fine, as well as court costs and other fees.
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On September 5, 2023, Christopher Croyle was sentenced in Armstrong County after entering an open plea to one count of Theft by Deception (M1). On May 15, 2022, Croyle reported to Allstate Insurance that his 2008 Hyundai Elantra struck an animal on May 14, 2022. During an investigation, Allstate found that this claim was the eighth such animal strike claim involving Croyle’s vehicle that had been filed since 2020. Croyle advised Allstate that he and his brother had repaired his vehicle after each incident. However, investigators compared the damage estimates from each claim with the corresponding vehicle claim photographs, and determined that the Elantra was not completely repaired after each claimed accident. The investigators further concluded that Croyle had been paid for the same damage on more than one occasion. Croyle was sentenced to serve two years of probation and ordered to complete 50 hours of community service. He also was fined $400.00 and ordered to pay restitution to Allstate Insurance Company in the amount of $3,787.00, and to pay all court costs.
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Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD)
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During the month of September, 5 additional defendants received Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD).
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Anti-Fraud Compliance
Reporting of Insurance Fraud to Law Enforcement Agency
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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.
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