Couple Charged with Fraud after Filing Two Loss Claims for the Same Jewelry
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On June 5, 2024, Enmanuel Canela and Kathryn Keyser were arrested in Montgomery County. According to the criminal complaint, Canela and his wife, Kathryn Keyser Canela, attempted to deceive State Farm Insurance Company into paying twice for the theft of the couples’ diamond engagement / wedding rings. The complaint stated that on July 22, 2022, Keyser purchased a Personal Articles insurance policy from State Farm, which covered her engagement and wedding rings, as well as Canela’s wedding ring. On October 24, Keyser allegedly contacted State Farm and reported that the rings were stolen on October 22, 2022. According to the complaint, Keyser claimed that the theft occurred while the rings were inside a backpack, which she had put in an unlocked locker at an amusement park. Keyser allegedly provided State Farm with two written appraisals for the three rings, and received a claim payment in the amount of $11,243.00, minus the $500 policy deductible. The complaint further stated that on May 5, 2023, Canela purchased coverage from State Farm for the same three rings. On May 14, Canela allegedly contacted the insurer and reported that the rings had been stolen. According to the complaint, Canela claimed that the theft occurred while the rings were inside a backpack that had been placed on a picnic table at a State Park. The complaint stated that Canela provided State Farm with the same two written appraisals that Keyser had previously submitted in support of her claim. State Farm allegedly determined that both claims were for the same rings, which had unique jewelry identification numbers. The complaint stated that during a recorded phone interview, Keyser gave investigators a complete recounting of the circumstances of Canela’s loss, but claimed to know nothing about her policy and claim for the same rings six months earlier. Canela allegedly provided the same information during a separate recorded interview. According to the complaint, an investigation revealed that Canela reversed his first and last names when he applied for the May 5, 2023 policy, and Keyser listed her maiden name on the July 2022 policy application. The complaint stated that neither Canela nor Keyser provided their spouse’s name on their respective applications. State Farm allegedly advised the couple that a Deposition under Oath was scheduled for July 12, 2023. As that date approached, an attorney representing Canela allegedly contacted State Farm and advised that Canela wished to withdraw his claim. Canela and Keyser were each 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 Insurance Fraud (M1), and one count of Criminal Conspiracy (F3).
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On June 30, 2024, Magalie Septimus was arrested in Dauphin County. According to the criminal complaint, Safe Auto Insurance Company alleged that Septimus had filed multiple vehicle accident claims under different Pennsylvania policies, yet all the claimed losses occurred in New York. Further, the complaint stated that each of the claimed losses involved an unlisted driver and a policy that was out of force. Septimus allegedly provided a Pennsylvania address on each of her policy applications. According to the complaint, all the policies were canceled thirty days after they were initiated. The complaint stated that Septimus was the named insured on four different Safe Auto policies. Septimus allegedly used a Germantown Avenue Philadelphia address on each of those policy applications. According to the complaint, investigators found the property at that address to be a vacant, three-story building, whose owner resided in New York. The complaint further stated that investigators requested Title and Registration applications from PennDot for four vehicles registered to Septimus. Each of the applications allegedly listed a Philadelphia address for Septimus’s residence and listed Safe Auto as the vehicle insurer. The complaint stated that investigators determined that Septimus was actually a New York resident. Septimus was charged with four counts of Insurance Fraud (M1), four counts of Tampering with Public Records (F3), and four counts of Unsworn Falsification (M2).
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On June 27, 2024, Lashawn Brown was arrested in Dauphin County. According to the criminal complaint, Brown reported a claim to National General Insurance Company (NGIC), advising that the front bumper of Brown’s 2015 Infiniti Q50 was struck and damaged by another vehicle, while the Infinity was parked. The complaint stated that NGIC insured the striking vehicle. That vehicle’s driver allegedly reported to NGIC that he had been trying to pull into a parking space when the collision occurred. According to the complaint, Brown provided an address in Harrisburg to NGIC as her place of residence. She allegedly claimed that she had been visiting family in New York and had parked her Infiniti in front of her aunt’s shop when the collision occurred. The complaint stated that claim photos showed the Infinity displaying a PA registration plate. According to the complaint, investigators obtained vehicle registration documents from PennDOT, which listed the Harrisburg address as Brown’s residence. Investigators allegedly determined that Brown provided false information concerning her purported Pennsylvania residency in order to obtain Pennsylvania insurance at a lower rate than she would have been able to get in New York. Brown was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Conspiracy to Commit Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Tampering with Public Records or Information (F3), and one count of Unsworn Falsification to Authorities (M2).
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On June 25, 2024, Tanaya Moon was arrested in Allegheny County. According to the criminal complaint, on January 13, 2023, at 9:50 AM, Moon added her 2008 Mercedes-Benz S550 to her existing policy with the Progressive Insurance Company. At 5:38 PM on January 14, 2023, Moon allegedly used the Progressive app to report that she had been driving her Mercedes at 5:30 PM that afternoon, when she swerved to avoid hitting a deer and the Mercedes struck a parked vehicle. According to the complaint, Moon’s Mercedes actually struck several vehicles, which were parked on an auto sales lot. Progressive representatives interviewed the owners of the lot, who allegedly advised that they discovered the damaged vehicles and Moon’s disabled 2008 Mercedes-Benz S550 on the lot on January 13 at 8:30 AM. When investigators spoke to Moon, she allegedly denied adding the Mercedes to her policy at 9:50 AM on January 13. Rather, Moon allegedly stated that she believed that she added the Mercedes around January 11, 2023. According to the complaint, Moon subsequently stated that the accident happened on the evening of Friday, January 13, 2023. She allegedly told investigators that she added the Mercedes Benz to her insurance policy in order to have the insurer cover the damage to the parked vehicles. The claim was denied. Moon was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On June 20, 2024, David Diehl was arrested in Blair County. According to the criminal complaint, on December 22, 2022, Diehl was driving his 2014 Lincoln MKX when it was involved in a collision with another vehicle. The crash allegedly damaged the Lincoln’s front end. According to the complaint, the driver of the other involved vehicle, which was insured by Nationwide Mutual Insurance, was deemed to have been at fault. The complaint stated that on December 28, 2022, Diehl contacted his insurer, Allstate Insurance, and reported that he had been driving the Lincoln earlier that day when it struck three deer, damaging the vehicle’s front end. Diehl allegedly did not mention the December 22 crash to Allstate. The complaint stated that Diehl obtained two separate repair estimates for the Lincoln and submitted one of the estimates to Nationwide. However, he allegedly did not inform Nationwide about the purported deer strike accident. Nationwide allegedly paid Diehl $9,207.37. The complaint stated that Diehl submitted the second damage estimate to Allstate. Allstate allegedly paid Diehl $9,052.08, which included repairs and rental car reimbursement. Allstate investigated Diehl’s claim and allegedly concluded that the damage to the Lincoln was not consistent with that of an animal strike. According to the complaint, Diehl provided descriptive details of the purported deer strike accident during a recorded interview with Allstate representatives. When the representatives asked Diehl about the December 22 accident, Diehl allegedly claimed to know nothing about the accident or the claim payment from Nationwide. According to the complaint, Allstate requested reimbursement from Diehl in the amount of Allstate’s claim payment, but no reimbursement was received. Diehl was charged with two counts of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Theft by Deception (F3).
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On June 20, 2024, Alexis Alston was arrested in Dauphin County. According to the criminal complaint, when Alston applied for a Liberty Mutual auto insurance policy, she listed a Harrisburg address as her residence and primary garaging location of her 2017 Infiniti Q50. The complaint stated that Liberty Mutual issued the policy on April 22, 2022. The next day, Alston allegedly removed the Infiniti from the policy and added a 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia. The complaint stated that on December 14, 2022, Alston reported to Liberty Mutual that her Alfa Romeo had been parked outside of a friend’s house in Philadelphia when the vehicle was damaged. Alston allegedly claimed that she had been staying with the friend overnight and discovered the damage to her car at approximately 2:00 PM on December 14. According to the complaint, Alston advised that she planned to be in New York for two to three weeks, and asked the insurer to permit her to have the Alfa Romeo repaired in New York. During the course of the claim, the insurer allegedly asked a collision expert to review photos of the damaged Alpha Romeo. According to the complaint, the expert determined that the Alfa Romeo had been in the process of braking when the damage occurred. The complaint further stated that investigators were unable to verify the address of the purported loss location, but found that Alston owned a skin care salon located in New York. When an investigator questioned Alston about her work, she allegedly acknowledged that she had worked in New York previously, and that she maintains a space at that location for appointments. However, Alston allegedly claimed that she primarily works from her apartment in Harrisburg. According to the complaint, investigators found that the Harrisburg address listed on Alston’s Liberty Mutual policy is not an apartment, but a single family detached home. The complaint stated that investigators concluded that Alston misrepresented her vehicle garaging address in order to obtain lower cost Pennsylvania insurance than she would have been required to pay for coverage in New York. The claim was denied. Alston was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Conspiracy to Commit Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Tampering with Public Records or Information (F3), one count of Insurance Fraud (M1), and one count of Unsworn Falsification to Authorities (M2).
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On June 18, 2024, Cristal Ferreira-Calo was arrested in Lancaster County. According to the criminal complaint, on October 28, 2022, at approximately 3:30 PM, Ferreira-Calo contacted Kemper Insurance and reported that her 2021 BMW X3 had just been involved in an accident with a vehicle insured by Kemper. Ferreira-Calo allegedly stated that the other vehicle was trying to move out of the way of a fire truck, when it sideswiped Ferreira-Calo’s BMW, damaging the BMW’s hood and driver’s side. The complaint stated that on November 7, 2022, Kemper issued a check to Ferreira-Calo in the amount of $1,805.20. According to the complaint, an investigation revealed that Ferreira-Calo called State Farm Insurance Company on the day of her accident and obtained coverage for the BMW. On November 2, 2022, at 10:58 AM, Ferreira-Calo allegedly called State Farm and reported that her BMW had been parked in front of her home when it was struck and damaged by a hit-and-run driver at 6:00 AM that day. She allegedly reported that the crash damaged the BMW’s hood and driver’s side. An investigation allegedly revealed that the damage actually occurred on October 28, 2022, which was before the inception of her State Farm policy. State Farm denied the claim. Ferreira-Calo was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On June 13, Reef Sandino was arrested pursuant to a warrant issued in Montgomery County. According to the criminal complaint, at 7:23 PM on October 19, 2022, Sandino obtained a GEICO Insurance policy with collision coverage for his 2005 black Ducati 999 motorcycle. At the time, Sandino allegedly did not divulge to the insurer that the motorcycle was damaged in an accident several days earlier. On October 21, Sandino called GEICO and allegedly reported that his Ducati was damaged in an accident that occurred at approximately 10:00 PM on October 20. According to the complaint, Sandino reported that he had been riding the motorcycle when he tried to avoid a collision and the throttle snapped. On November 1, during a recorded telephone conversation with GEICO, Sandino again allegedly stated that the crash occurred on October 20. He also allegedly denied having any other insurance coverage for the motorcycle. During an investigation of the claim, an investigator for GEICO contacted Pottstown police and allegedly learned that a crash involving the Ducati was reported to have occurred on October 14, 2022, at 2:53 PM. The complaint stated that GEICO sent a letter to Sandino on December 12, stating that the claim would be denied, because the loss occurred prior to the policy inception. According to the complaint, an investigation further revealed that before he obtained the GEICO policy, Sandino filed a claim with State Farm Insurance for an October 14 accident involving the Ducati. The complaint stated that the State Farm claim was denied, because the policy did not include collision coverage. Sandino was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1), and one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (F3).
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On June 11, 2024, Rhett Murphy was arrested in Lawrence County. According to the criminal complaint, Murphy purchased a new Progressive Insurance Company policy for his 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 at approximately 10:40 AM on December 31, 2023. On January 4, 2024, Murphy allegedly reported to Progressive that his truck was damaged by a deer strike, which occurred on January 3, 2024, at 9:00 AM. The complaint stated that Murphy used Progressive’s cellular application to provide five photographs to the insurer, showing damages to the truck’s driver’s side front fender, door, and bumper. According to the complaint, Progressive representatives reviewed the photos’ metadata, which indicated that the pictures were taken at 9:43 PM on December 30, 2023. During a recorded interview with Progressive, Murphy allegedly stated that the deer strike occurred at 9:00 PM on January 3, while Murphy was driving home after eating dinner. Murphy allegedly told Progressive that he had accidentally input the time of loss as 9:00 AM instead of 9:00 PM on the Progressive app and was unable to correct his mistake. According to the complaint, Murphy could not explain why the metadata indicated that the photos of his damaged truck were taken on December 30, prior to the policy’s inception. The complaint stated that Murphy admitted to investigators that he obtained the Progressive policy after his truck was damaged by the deer strike. Murphy was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Theft by Deception (F3).
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On June 11, 2024, Megan Posey was arrested in Lebanon County. According to the criminal complaint, on May 26, 2022, Posey obtained coverage from Progressive Insurance Company for a 2016 Nissan Rogue. On October 28, 2022, at 8:21 AM, Posey allegedly added a 2021 Mazda CX-9 to her policy and subsequently removed the Nissan Rogue. The complaint stated that on October 28, 2022, at 11:46 AM, Posey filed a claim with Progressive, in which she allegedly reported that the Mazda was involved in an accident with another vehicle at approximately 11:15 AM that morning. However, according to the complaint, the driver of the other involved vehicle told investigators that the crash had occurred at approximately 8:10 AM. During a January 18, 2023, phone call recorded by Progressive, Posey allegedly maintained that the accident happened at 11:15 AM. The complaint stated that the other involved driver subsequently provided Progressive with two pictures from the accident scene. The photos allegedly bore time stamps of 8:11 AM and 8:12 AM on October 28, which was before Posey added the Mazda to her policy. Progressive denied the claim. Posey was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1).
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On June 10, 2024, Brian Ambrose was arrested in Adams County. According to the criminal complaint, on February 20, 2023, Ambrose purchased State Farm Insurance Company coverage for his 2021 Belmont utility trailer. On March 13, 2023, Ambrose allegedly reported to State Farm that his utility trailer struck a pole and was damaged on March 11, 2023. However, according to the complaint, an investigation revealed that Ambrose’s trailer had been repaired several weeks earlier at Steve’s Repair Shop in Biglerville. According to the complaint, a repair shop technician provided investigators with a photocopy of the shop’s scheduling book, which revealed that the trailer was dropped off for service on February 15, several days before Ambrose obtained coverage from State Farm. During a May 17, 2024, telephone conversation with investigators, Ambrose allegedly acknowledged that the accident occurred before he purchased the policy for the trailer. The claim was denied. Ambrose was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1).
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On June 6, 2024, Robert Fazio was arrested in Montgomery County. According to the criminal complaint, at 03:58 PM on February 27, 2023, Fazio contacted the Progressive Insurance Company and reported that on February 26, his 2020 Dodge Ram was involved in a two-vehicle accident. The complaint stated that Fazio told the Progressive representative that when he purchased the truck approximately two months earlier, he believed that the salesperson had added the Dodge Ram to his Progressive policy. According to the complaint, the insurance representative advised that the exact date of purchase was needed, because Progressive would not be able to backdate coverage more than 30 days. Fazio then allegedly claimed that he bought the truck close to the end of December. The complaint stated that Fazio subsequently told a different Progressive representative that he bought the truck on February 1, 2023. The complaint further stated that Progressive asked Fazio to provide a bill of sale for the truck, so that the date of purchase could be verified. Fazio allegedly claimed that he bought the truck through Facebook and did not have a bill of sale. The insurer eventually obtained documentation from the truck dealership, which allegedly revealed that Fazio purchased the Dodge Ram on November 25, 2022. According to the complaint, a Progressive representative contacted Fazio on a recorded line to discuss the discrepancies in the information that Fazio provided. Fazio allegedly hung up on the representative after stating he would be canceling his Progressive coverage. The complaint stated that on March 2, 2023, Progressive denied Fazio’s claim, due to his alleged misrepresentation of the purchase date. According to the complaint, after Progressive notified Fazio that his claim was denied, Fazio filed a claim with Travelers Insurance, the insurer of the vehicle that was deemed to have been at fault in the February 26 accident. Fazio allegedly told Travelers that he had not reported the claim to his own insurer and was not planning to do so. The complaint stated that Travelers paid Fazio $12,399.10, which included payment for his damaged vehicle and rental reimbursement. Fazio was charged with one count of one count of Insurance Fraud (F3), one count of Theft by Deception (F3), one count of Criminal Use of a Communication Facility (F3), and one count of Insurance Fraud (M1).
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On June 5, 2024, Justin Lightner was arrested in Franklin County. According to the criminal complaint, at 3:29 AM on April 12, 2023, Lightner called Progressive Insurance and reported that he had been driving his 2011 Kia Optima when it struck a deer. Progressive allegedly informed Lightner that he lacked the proper coverage for the loss. At 7:22 AM that same day, Lightner’s mother allegedly added the Optima, along with comprehensive coverage, to the existing Progressive policy. The changes were made effective April 17, 2023. According to the complaint, on April 21, Lightner filed a claim for deer strike damage to his Kia Optima. In a recorded statement to Progressive, he allegedly advised that the loss occurred at approximately 10:30 PM on April 20. According to the complaint, Progressive confronted Lightner about his April 12 deer strike report. Lightner allegedly stated that he did not recall previously reporting a deer strike. The complaint stated that when the Progressive representative asked Lightner if spoke to his mother after calling the insurer on April 12, Lightner ended the conversation. On a later date, Lightner’s mother allegedly confirmed to Progressive that Lightner told her about the deer accident on the day that she added the Optima with comprehensive coverage to her existing policy. According to the complaint, Lightner subsequently acknowledged to Progressive that he made a bad decision when he informed the insurer that the deer damage occurred after the coverage was added. Progressive denied the claim. Lightner was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (F3).
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On June 5, 2024, Janice Tolliver was arrested in Franklin County. According to the criminal complaint, on August 22, 2023, Tolliver telephoned Progressive Insurance Company to file a claim for damage to her 2011 GMC Terrain, which occurred when the vehicle struck an object. The Progressive representative allegedly informed Tolliver that her vehicle policy provided liability coverage only, and that damages to her Terrain were not covered. At 11:49 AM that same morning, Tolliver allegedly added comprehensive and collision coverage for the Terrain, effective August 27, 2023. The complaint stated that on August 30, Tolliver contacted Progressive and reported that her vehicle incurred minor damages when it struck an object at approximately 12:00 PM that day. During a subsequent recorded interview conducted by Progressive, Tolliver allegedly stated that the loss occurred when she was parking her Terrain in her driveway, and her vehicle’s front passenger side bumper struck a satellite dish. The complaint stated that Tolliver advised the insurer that she had taken the Terrain to Jennings Body Shop in Chambersburg to obtain an estimate. Investigators reviewed body shop records, which allegedly revealed that Tolliver arrived at the facility at approximately 10:00 AM on August 22, and an estimate was written at 10:12 AM. Progressive allegedly determined that the damage to Tolliver’s vehicle occurred before the additional coverage took effect. The claim was denied. Tolliver was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1).
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On June 5, 2024, Rasheeda Hurley was arrested in Montgomery County. According to the criminal complaint, at 8:29 AM on April 3, 2023, Hurley added comprehensive, collision, and rental coverage to her Progressive Insurance Group policy, for her 2014 Chevrolet Impala. At 1:36 PM that same day, Hurley allegedly called Progressive and reported that her Impala had been involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Philadelphia earlier in the day and had been towed from the accident scene. According to the complaint, when a Progressive representative asked Hurley for the time of the accident, Hurley replied “one-ish”. The complaint stated that investigators contacted the Philadelphia Police Department to confirm the time of loss and learned that the crash occurred at 1:40 AM on April 3. Progressive subsequently conducted a recorded interview of Hurley. According to the complaint, Hurley initially told the Progressive representative that the crash occurred around “one-ish”. When the representative asked if she meant AM or PM, Hurley allegedly replied “AM”. According to the complaint, the Progressive representative advised Hurley that her additional coverage did not take effect until 8:15 AM on April 3, which was after the accident occurred. The complaint stated that Hurley claimed that she had been confused earlier, and stated that the accident had occurred at 1:00 PM, rather than AM. According to the complaint, the Progressive representative then advised Hurley that the police report indicated that the crash occurred at 1:40 AM. Progressive denied payment of the claim. Hurley was charged with one count 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 Insurance Fraud (M1).
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On June 5, 2024, Ahmadou Diouf was arrested in Allegheny County. According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 4:31 PM on January 6, 2024, Diouf added comprehensive and collision coverage to his existing Progressive Insurance Company policy for his 2016 Mazda CX-5. The complaint stated that the policy changes took effect on January 11, 2024. On January 10, Diouf allegedly added rental car reimbursement coverage to the policy, with an effective date of January 15. The complaint stated that on January 16, Diouf went online and reported to Progressive that he had been driving the Mazda at approximately 7:30 AM that day, when the vehicle skidded on the snowy road and crashed into a guardrail. Diouf allegedly uploaded photographs of the damaged Mazda to the Progressive Insurance app, which investigators then reviewed. According to the complaint, the photo metadata revealed that the pictures were taken at 1:58:44 PM and 3:35 PM on January 6, which was before Diouf requested additional coverages for his policy. After the investigators informed Diouf of their findings, he allegedly sent another set of the same photos to the insurer. According to the complaint, investigators found that the metadata on the second set of photos had been changed, so that the pictures appeared to have been taken on January 16, 2024. The claim was denied. Diouf was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1).
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On June 28, 2024, Ryan Fralick was sentenced in Warren County after entering an open plea to one count of Theft by Deception (M1). Fralick was the owner and operator of Fralick Chiropractic in Warren. A couple visited Fralick Chiropractic during April 2022, seeking treatment of injuries they suffered as a result of separate motor vehicle accidents. One of the patients utilized her United Healthcare insurance to pay for her initial treatment, while her partner used his health savings account to pay for his initial treatment. Fralick asked the couple to provide his staff with their auto insurance policy information. The man and the woman each had separate State Farm Insurance policies and provided their coverage information to Fralick Chiropractic. After receiving treatments at the clinic on three separate occasions, the couple expressed dissatisfaction. Fralick told the couple that they would each need approximately $6,000.00 worth of treatments and offered to provide them with an attorney who could file a lawsuit against State Farm. The couple decided not to return to Fralick’s office. When the female patient received an Explanation of Benefits from State Farm, she found that the form listed billings for many services that neither she nor her partner had received from Fralick Chiropractic. After the patient contacted State Farm to express her concerns, the insurer asked the couple to review records of bills that State Farm received from Fralick for services that the couple purportedly received. State Farm then asked Fralick to provide patient sign-in sheets confirming that the couple had been treated on the days reflected in the bills. Fralick failed to respond. An investigation revealed that Fralick billed State Farm a total of $6,830.00 for services purportedly provided to one of the patients. State Farm could not confirm that the treatments actually took place and denied payment. Fralick billed State Farm $1,623.26 for services purportedly provided to the other patient, including charges for the patient’s initial treatment that the patient previously paid. State Farm was unaware of the prior payment and paid the full amount to Fralick. Fralick was sentenced to serve one year of probation and to complete 50 hours of community service. He was ordered to pay restitution to State Farm Insurance in the amount of $939.29 and to the male patient in the amount of $150.00, as well as all court and prosecution costs.
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On June 27, 2024, Kelley Jo Katko was sentenced in Washington County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Insurance Fraud (F3) and one count of Tampering with Records or Identification (M1). On October 25, 2022, Katko purchased coverage for her 2003 Honda Accord from Progressive Insurance. On November 18, 2022, Katko removed the 2003 Accord from the policy, and then added a 2012 Honda with comprehensive, but not collision coverage, to the policy. On January 23, 2023, Katko went online and reported to Progressive that she had been driving the Honda when it struck a vehicle that was stopped at a traffic light. Progressive advised Katko that because her policy did not include collision, the damage to her Honda would not be covered. On January 27, Katko provided the insurer with a document that she had purportedly received from Progressive, indicating that she had full coverage for the Honda. Katko subsequently admitted to investigators that she knew her policy did not include collision coverage. On the count of Insurance Fraud, Katko was sentenced to two years of probation, the first 6 months of which she will serve under Electronic Home Monitoring with work release. She was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and to pay the costs of the prosecution. On the charge of Tampering, Katko was sentenced to two years of probation, the first three months of which she will serve under Electric Home Monitoring with work release. Both sentences were made concurrent.
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On June 26, 2024, Justin Heck was sentenced in Berks County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Insurance Fraud (M1) and one count of Forgery (M1). Heck was a licensed producer for Allstate Insurance Company. Allstate received two customer complaints that prompted the insurer to conduct an audit of policies written by Heck. Allstate suspected that Heck had been writing fictitious policies in order to artificially inflate the amount of his bonus compensation. The insurer provided investigators with 150 Allstate policies, many of them renter’s policies, that Heck wrote between January and June 2022. Investigators reviewed a sample of those policies and determined that many contained bogus telephone numbers for the listed policyholders. Most of the purported policyholders interviewed told investigators that they had only obtained a rate quote from Allstate, and ultimately purchased coverage from another insurer. When investigators interviewed Heck, he denied intentionally writing fictitious policies to obtain bonus compensation. On the charge of Insurance Fraud, Heck was sentenced to serve 24 months of probation. He was ordered to complete 50 hours of community service and pay court costs. On the charge of Forgery, Heck was sentenced to a concurrent period of 24 months of probation.
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On June 25, 2024, Jeffery Fitzgerald was sentenced in Chester County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1). On November 27, 2022, at approximately 7:53 AM, Fitzgerald’s 2013 gray Nissan Maxima was involved in a hit-and-run accident. The police crash report stated that the Maxima struck a parked vehicle and that its driver fled the scene on foot. West End Towing and Storage removed the vehicle from the scene. On November 30, 2022, Fitzgerald purchased a full coverage policy for the Maxima from Progressive Insurance. At 11:36 AM on December 4, 2022, Fitzgerald used Progressive’s phone application to report that his Maxima was damaged in a crash that occurred on December 4, at approximately 1:30 AM. Fitzgerald provided the insurer with several different crash dates during subsequent interviews. Investigators obtained copies of the police accident report and the tow invoice from West End Towing and Storage, which revealed that the accident occurred on November 27. The reports also indicated that the Maxima was removed from the crash scene and stored at a tow yard from November 27, 2022, until December 10, 2022. Fitzgerald was sentenced to one year of probation and was ordered to pay costs of prosecution.
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On June 12, 2024, Jimmy Rodriguez Jr. was sentenced in Dauphin County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Insurance Fraud (F3). Rodriguez was among the 25 individuals and 21 businesses charged in Dauphin County, following an investigation of an alleged vehicle “title washing” ring. The lengthy investigation was conducted before the 47th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury 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. Rodriguez was sentenced to serve two years of probation and was ordered to pay for all court and prosecution costs.
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On June 10, 2024, Jeff Andre was sentenced in Dauphin County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Theft by Deception (M2). Andre completed an application for vehicle insurance from American National Property & Casualty, on which he claimed that his vehicle was primarily garaged at the policy address in Harrisburg. An investigation revealed that Andre actually resided in New York, and misrepresented the garaging address in order to obtain vehicle insurance in Pennsylvania at a lower premium rate. Andre was sentenced to a period of 12 months of probation. He was ordered to pay a total of $4,964.00 in restitution, $3,000.00 of which he paid prior to entering the plea. He was further ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution and a civil penalty in the amount of $250.00.
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On June 5, 2024, Carmen Rios-Morales was sentenced in Lebanon County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Insurance Fraud (M1) and one count of Criminal Attempt / Theft by Deception (M1). On March 3, 2022, Rios-Morales added collision and comprehensive coverage to the Kemper Insurance policy covering her 2011 Infiniti G37. On March 21, 2022, at 4:40 PM, Rios-Morales reported to Kemper that her Infiniti had been vandalized while it was parked at her residence. She told the Kemper representative that the Infiniti stopped working as she was driving it to work at approximately 5:30 AM on March 19, 2022. Rios-Morales stated that she arranged to have the disabled Infinity towed to a local dealership. According to Rios-Morales, the dealership mechanics suspected that someone had tampered with the fuel in the Infinity’s gas tank. An investigation revealed that Rios-Morales’ Infiniti actually was towed to the dealership on February 28, 2022, before she added collision and comprehensive coverage to her policy. Rios-Morales was sentenced to 12 months of probation, ordered to pay a $50.00 fine, a $150.00 civil penalty, and costs of prosecution.
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On June 5, 2024, Guy Cardine St. Victor was sentenced in Dauphin County after entering a negotiated plea to one count of Tampering with Records (M2), one count of Application Fraud (M1), one count of Unsworn Falsification (M2), and one count of Theft by Deception (M1). On October 16, 2021, St. Victor purchased Kemper Insurance coverage for a 2012 BMW and a 2018 Nissan Altima. During the application process, St. Victor reported that she lived on Wakefield Road in Harrisburg. She stated that she was the only resident at the property, and claimed that she lived in Harrisburg at least 10 months out of the year. Also on the application, St. Victor indicated that no covered drivers traveled to New York or New Jersey more than three times per month. When the policy was renewed on April 16, 2022, the policy declaration page listed St. Victor’s address as North Arlington Avenue in Harrisburg. On June 16, 2022, St. Victor contacted Kemper and reported that she had been driving in New York when a truck sideswiped her BMW. St. Victor advised that her damaged vehicle was towed to a body shop in Brooklyn. A Kemper adjuster conducted a license plate search of St. Victor’s vehicles. The search showed the BMW only at locations in New York. Investigators were unable to find any records connecting St. Victor to Pennsylvania. In a recorded statement taken by a Kemper investigator on June 23, 2022, St. Victor claimed to live in Harrisburg, but said that she traveled to work in New York three times per week. However, investigators determined that St. Victor had not lived at either of the Harrisburg residential addresses that she had provided to Kemper. Further, investigators determined that St. Victor submitted altered documents to PennDOT as proof of her purported Pennsylvania residency. St. Victor was ordered to serve two years of probation and to complete 50 hours of community service. She was ordered to pay a fine, as well as a civil penalty in the amount of $1,000.00.
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Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD)
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During the month of June, 14 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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