Northern Jersey Man Arrested and Charged with Allegedly Running Craigslist Scam that Helped New Jersey Residents Register Their Motor Vehicles in Other States to Get Lower Car Insurance Rates

TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) announced today that an Essex County man has been arrested for allegedly running a scheme through the website Craigslist that offered services that would aid New Jersey residents in illegally registering their cars in other states to avoid paying market insurance premiums.  Shareem Taylor, 30, who had last known addresses in East Orange and Englewood, was arrested today in Englewood by OIFP detectives and charged with second-degree insurance fraud and second-degree conspiracy. He is currently being housed at Bergen County Jail on $50,000 bail. Second-degree crimes can carry a state prison sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of $150,000.  Taylor, who allegedly posted the advertisement under the pseudonym “Brandon”, offered assistance, for a fee, with “Out of State Vehicle Registration”.  Additionally, “Brandon” allegedly offered his clients assistance with insurance policies for their newly registered vehicles. The posting also read: “I can lower your instate [sic] insurance by up to 50 percent” and “I’ve been doing this for 6 years I have over 600 customers.” An undercover OIFP detective responded to Taylor’s advertisement and later received from the defendant titling documents and license plates from South Dakota for her fictitious car. Taylor’s services would allegedly allow his customers to perpetrate reverse rate evasion. Legislation signed into law last week by Governor Chris Christie made reverse rate evasion a form of insurance fraud. The measure targets residents who fraudulently obtain auto insurance in another state with lower rates, even though New Jersey is their principal residence or they principally keep the insured vehicle in New Jersey. The new law would consider the reverse rate evasion a form of insurance fraud that violates the New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prevention Act. The bill also specifies that reverse rate evasion constitutes a violation of the New Jersey Insurance Fraud Prevention Act, with various civil penalties and remedies provided for in that act applying to violations. The investigation was conducted by Detectives Robert Rosa, Amy Carson, Heather Pittman, Michael Behar, Janet Amberg under the supervision of Lieutenant Joseph Waters. Deputy Attorney General Reid Caster represents the state in this matter. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald Chillemi thanked Geico Insurance, Progressive Insurance, Esurance, and Citibank Investigations for their assistance with this investigation. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Chillemi noted that some important cases have started with anonymous tips. People who are concerned about insurance cheating and have information about a fraud can report it anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the Web site at www.NJInsurancefraud.org. State regulations permit a reward to be paid to an eligible person who provides information that leads to an arrest, prosecution and conviction for insurance fraud.

WOMAN FACES INSURANCE FRAUD CHARGES AFTER CLAIMING HER STORAGE UNIT WAS BURGLARIZED

MAY 13, 2015

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB)

A woman who filed an insurance claim for alleged missing items from a storage unit is facing fraud charges.

Carolyn Gleen, 54, of Baton Rouge, is charged with insurance fraud, filing false public records, perjury and improper telephone communications. The final charge was related to her allegedly telling an employee with the insurance company over the phone that she was going to "buy a gun and someone was going to get killed."

According to the probable cause report, Gleen called the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office to investigate a cut pad lock on her storage unit. The report stated she made no complaint to the deputy that anything was missing from the unit. It also stated the deputy reported the unit was full and it didn't look like it had been burglarized.

Officials said Gleen then filed an insurance claim a few days later for the theft of $20,209 worth of items. However, a worker with the insurance company reported seeing Gleen with the items she listed as stolen.

A trooper with the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit investigated the case.

Documents also stated a forensic locksmith told court officials two cut locks given to the insurance company by Gleen were not attached to the storage unit when they were cut. He reportedly added one of them was actually open when it was cut.

Investigators said they found Gleen still in possession of the items she claimed had been stolen.

Officials added Gleen has a history of insurance fraud. She was arrested for insurance fraud in 2000.

LOUISIANA STATE POLICE CHARGE FIREFIGHTER IN INSURANCE FRAUD INVESTIGATION FOR FRAUDULENTLY REGISTERING HIS EX-WIFE AND FORMER STEP-CHILDREN FOR MEDICAL BENEFITS FROM THE CITY OF SHREVEPORT TO WHICH THEY WERE NOT ENTITLED TO

MAY 13, 2015

Following an investigation into a complaint received from the Shreveport City Attorney’s Office, the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud and Auto Theft Unit charged a firefighter with insurance fraud.

Michael Keel of Keithville, a firefighter with the Shreveport Fire Department, was arrested and placed into custody, the LSP said.

The investigation began in July 2013 after LSP Investigators received information that Keel fraudulently registered his ex-wife and former step-children for medical benefits from the City of Shreveport to which they were not entitled to.

Troopers’ investigation revealed that from November of 2010 through May of 2013, the City of Shreveport’s contributions for insurance premiums for family/dependent coverage and medical/dental claims, not including employee Michael Keel, totaled over $85,000.

LSP Investigators concluded that Keel intentionally defrauded the medical benefits program and the City of Shreveport bore no legal responsibility to the fraudulently acquired claims.

On May 7, 2015, Keel surrendered to LSP Insurance Fraud Troopers at the Caddo Parish Correctional Center and was booked without incident.

Source: Louisiana State Police Insurance

1 KILLED, 3 INJURED IN I-64 MULTI VEHICLE CRASH IN SHELBY COUNTY, KENTUCKY

MAY 13, 2015

SHELBYVILLE, KY. (WHAS11) 

I-64 east is shut down at the 35 mile marker due to a fatal accident in Shelby County on May 13.

I-64 west was shut down earlier in the day but has reopened to traffic.

According to Kentucky State Police, the accident involves five vehicles. One of those vehicles is a tractor trailer.

According to a KSP preliminary report, the five vehicles were heading west on I-64 when traffic slowed for a motorist assist. Police said the tractor trailer failed to slow and hit a passenger car in its pathway. This caused a chain reaction resulting in damage to three other vehicles.

Three people were taken to Shelbyville Jewish Hospital for minor injuries, KSP said. the driver of the vehicle struck by the tractor trailer was pronounced dead at the scene by the Shelby County Coroner's Office, according to KSP.

The investigation into this crash is ongoing.

Eastbound is closed until crews can remove the tractor trailer

Kentucky State Police Post 12 reports the following detour has been established:
Eastbound traffic – Exit 32 to U.S. 60.

The investigation into this crash is ongoing.

2 FLOWN TO BURN UNIT AFTER CAR TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, STRUCK A TRAFFIC SIGNAL POLE AND ROLLED IN SIOUX FALLS, SD

MAY 13, 2015

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)

Two people were flown to a burn unit in Minneapolis after a fiery crash in Sioux Falls.

Authorities say the 21-year-old woman and a man whose identity was not immediately confirmed were in a car that crashed late Tuesday while traveling at a high rate of speed.

The car was engulfed in flames after it struck a traffic signal pole and rolled. The woman was thrown from the vehicle. The man was pulled through a window by a passer-by.

I guess these two were in a hurry to arrive at their final destination.  What is wrong with people?  Don’t they like their lives?  Unfortunately there are too many of them judging from the 34,000 people dying and the hundreds of thousands injured on the roads every year.