Friday, May 15, 2015

PERTH AMBOY MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO INSURANCE FRAUD




May 14, 2015

Vinny Curbelo is facing an eight-year prison term when he is sentenced next month.

Curbelo allegedly faked a work accident to get insurance payment.
He also allegedly accepted disability payments.

NEW BRUNSWICK – A Perth Amboy man has pleaded guilty to seven charges, some related to allegedly getting his insurance company to cover the $500,000 cost of medical treatment for faked injuries at his job.

Vinny Curbelo, 31, pleaded guilty Wednesday to multiple charges related to two separate insurance fraud schemes, according to acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

Curbelo was indicted of the charges last November by two state grand juries.
He pleaded guilty before Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Michael Toto to health care claims fraud, theft by deception, insurance fraud, and deception, theft by unlawful taking charges.

Curbelo is scheduled to receive an eight-year prison term when he is sentenced June 22.

On Nov. 13, Curbelo was indicted for allegedly faking an accident at his job site to get his insurance to cover the half-million-dollar cost of medical treatment for injuries he had suffered prior to his employment. In addition, he allegedly accepted approximately $55,803 in temporary disability payments for two years following the faked accident, though he was working under-the-table at Dawn's Auto Body in Keyport. While employed there, he allegedly stole about $16,700 from the auto body shop's bank accounts.

According to Hoffman, nine days later, Curbelo was indicted for allegedly executing a complex scheme to steal about $23,000 from a credit union and to defraud a car insurance company of more than $32,000 by forging documents related to a stolen SUV.

"Curbelo sought illegitimate financial windfalls from any source he could target, whether they were insurer, employer or lender," said Hoffman. "His crimes were carefully calculated and involved multiple layers of deceit."

"Aggressive prosecutions and appropriate prison terms, such as those pursued in this case, serve as deterrent to anyone contemplating the type of crimes Curbelo perpetrated," said Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi.


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PERTH AMBOY MAN CHARGED WITH FAKING FALL FOR DISABILITY

NOVEMBER 13, 2014

Man allegedly laid down next to a patch of ice, claimed he had fallen and injured his back.

Story Highlights

State alleges man injured his back while he was unemployed

Indictment also alleges he stole from auto body shop where he worked under the table

Curbelo allegedly collected $55,803 in disability payments

PERTH AMBOY – A city man has been indicted on charges that he faked an accident, collected more than $50,000 in disability and then worked under the table for an auto body shop, from which he allegedly stole $16,700.

Vinny Curbelo, 31, has been indicted on charges of second-degree health care claims fraud, second-degree theft by deception, second-degree attempted theft by deception, second-degree insurance fraud, second-degree computer criminal activity, third-degree theft by deception and third-degree theft by unlawful taking.

"The defendant allegedly staged his accident by pretending to suffer a fall, thus putting his employer's insurer on the hook for treatment for an injury that he had suffered months before he was employed," said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman. "These alleged crimes were greedy and dishonest and were meant to shift responsibility for the cost of his medical treatment to someone else."

In May 2010, Curbelo started working for DCH Honda in Old Bridge. On Jan. 18, 2011, during normal working hours, Curbelo allegedly laid down next to a patch of ice in the parking lot of the dealership, called for assistance from his fellow employees, and claimed that he had slipped on the ice and severely injured his back.

Based upon this claim, Curbelo received extensive medical treatment on his back, including at least three major surgeries, valued at approximately $527,873, of which approximately $140,213 was paid by the car dealership's insurer, Gallagher Bassett.

According to the state Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, Curbelo had first injured his back in March 2010 while he was unemployed.

In addition, Curbelo claimed his injuries made him unable to work and received from Gallagher Bassett approximately 49 biweekly workers-compensation temporary disability payments in the amount of approximately $55,803 from August 2011 to September 2013.

However, from approximately late 2011 through early 2013, Curbelo was employed at Dawn's Auto Body in Keyport and was paid off the books to allegedly ensure that his workers compensation payments would not be interrupted.

In addition, the indictment alleges that Curbelo, while employed at Dawn's Auto Body, used his access to the company's bank account and stole $16,700 by making various electronic payments for personal items and also to make payments to the credit card of his girlfriend.
Source: http://www.mycentraljersey.com