New Jersey Man Charged In $500K Life Insurance Fraud
TRENTON – Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) announced that a Bergen County man has been charged in an insurance fraud scheme in which he allegedly used the death of an acquaintance to try to cash in a $500,000 insurance policy he had fraudulently obtained in the name of another man.
Donald Blake, 45, of Maywood, was indicted on second-degree attempted theft by deception and third-degree counts of conspiracy and insurance fraud in the alleged scam that began with the death of a man who apparently died in his sleep at a home in Elizabeth in November 2013.
According to prosecutors, the dead man, who was an acquaintance of Blake, was deliberately misidentified to authorities as “John White,” who purportedly lived with his “son-in-law” Blake and had died while visiting relatives. Four years earlier, Blake had taken out a $500,000 life insurance policy with Household Life Insurance in the name of his father-in-law John White. Blake attempted to cash in that policy upon the death of the man in Elizabeth, prosecutors said.
In reality, Blake had no father-in-law named John White, and the John White whose personal information was listed on the Household Life Insurance policy is alive in New York and has no apparent connection to Blake, prosecutors said.
“We are alleging that this was an elaborate scheme concocted to steal half a million dollars from an insurance company,” said Attorney General Porrino. “This defendant allegedly took out a sham life insurance policy in the name of a stranger, then spent years just waiting for someone to die so he could cash it in.”
“When you strip away the macabre details of this alleged con, it’s a classic example of the kind of fraud that undermines the integrity of the insurance system,” said Christopher Iu, Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor. “When dishonest people lie and cheat to illegally collect payouts, it drives up costs for everyone.”
The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $150,000; third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $15,000.
Deputy Attorney General Michael Clore presented the case to the grand jury. Detectives Justin Callahan, Ronald Allen, Little Wright, and Investigator Marwa Kashef coordinated the investigation.
Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Iu 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
An early Friday morning cruiser crash sent two Philadelphia police officers to the hospital. (WPVI)
Friday, December 16, 2016 08:24AM
SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- An early Friday morning cruiser crash sent two Philadelphia police officers to the hospital.
It happened before 2 a.m. at the intersection of Broad Street and Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia.
The accident involved the cruiser and another vehicle.
One officer hurt his head and the other suffered a leg injury.
Neither injuries are considered life-threatening.
The two occupants of the other car were treated for minor injuries.
There is no word on what caused the two-car collision.
Police say one person is dead after a fire erupted inside a house in Southwest Philadelphia. (WPVI)
Updated 36 mins ago
SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police say one person is dead after a fire erupted inside a house in Southwest Philadelphia.
It happened around 4 a.m. Friday on the 1200 block of South Millick Street.
Firefighters arrived to heavy flames showing from a second floor bedroom.
Officials say a young man was found dead inside the home.
Another victim from the same home, a 39-year-old man was pulled from the house.
He suffered burns over sixty percent of his body, and was taken to the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. He is listed in serious condition.
The fire spread to neighboring houses. At least four homes were damaged.
A SEPTA bus is available for residents who can't stay in their homes.
The Red Cross is assisting five families, and a total of eleven people with food, water and lodging.
Red Paw is also helping with family pets.
There is no word on what caused the deadly blaze.
ITD worker killed in snow plow accident
December 15th, 2016 By: Steve Bertel, KIVI
BOISE (KIVI) — Investigators from both the Boise County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho Transportation Department are looking into the cause of an accident that killed an Idaho Transportation Department worker about 9:30 Tuesday morning.
ITD spokesman Jake Melder says Byran Bidegain was killed while working with a rotary (snow) plow. “Bidegain is a road maintenance worker, who has worked at ITD for a little over five years. His job is to keep roadways clear and operate snow plows,” Melder stated.
It happened along Highway 21, near milepost 52, at the Mores Creek Summit.
In a prepared statement, ITD officials said, “Tragically, the Idaho Transportation Department lost a family member this morning. Byran Bidegain, a maintenance worker from the Idaho City area, died on the job near Idaho 21. Byran was a dedicated employee, friend and colleague. We send our deepest condolences and ask the public respect his family and colleagues as they cope with his loss.”
“The death is being ruled an accident,” said Boise County Deputy Coroner Mike Johnson. “Apparently, he was trying to unclog snow from the plow and was dragged into the rotor blades.”
Several snowmobilers in the area at the time heard the machine running, shut it off, then discovered Bidegain’s body. With no cell phone service in the area, the snowmobilers drove some twenty miles to the Boise County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho City.
Bidegain was 62, Johnson said.
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ITD mourns death of employee killed unclogging snowplow blades
By Katy Moeller
A 62-year-old Idaho Transportation Department employee was unclogging the augers of a rotary snowplow Tuesday morning when he was dragged into the machine, according to Boise County Deputy Coroner Mike Johnson.
The man, identified by ITD as Byran Bidegain, died at the scene from blunt force trauma, Johnson said.
State transportation department officials released this statement:
“Tragically the Idaho Transportation Department lost a family member this morning. Byran Bidegain, a maintenance worker from the Idaho City area, died on the job near Idaho 21. Byran was a dedicated employee, friend and colleague. We send our deepest condolences and ask the public respect his family and colleagues as they cope with his loss.”
ITD spokesman Vince Trimboli said Bidegain, who lived in Idaho City, worked for the department for about five years as a transportation technician.
The accident happened before 10 a.m. on Idaho 21 at the Mores Creek Summit park and ski lot.
Johnson said snowmobilers saw the man working on the snowplow and a few minutes later discovered that he’d been fatally injured.
Idaho State Police are investigating. ISP Captain Bill Gardiner said Tuesday afternoon that he had few details because the trooper investigating the incident was still at the scene.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration won’t be investigating because it has jurisdiction over only private and federal employees.
Dave Kearns, OSHA area director, said he hopes that ITD does an investigation to find out exactly what happened — and to figure out how to prevent such an accident from occurring again.
Johnson said an autopsy will be conducted.
UPDATE: Factory worker died of asphyxiation
Wednesday, December 14, 2016 1:48 p.m. CST
STRATFORD, WI (WSAU-WAOW) The worker who died at A&B Process Systems in Stratford has been identified, and the cause of death has been determined. Stratford police say 26-year-old Nicholas Smith of Marshfield died of asphyxiation by argon gas, a type of gas used in welding at A&B Process Systems.
Smith is a welder. He had gone back in to an enclosed area to clean up, but all of the gas was not out of the area.
Police said first responders were called to the scene at 1am Wednesday., he was pronounced dead at the hospital. Several employees also tried to revive him before first responders arrived.
No foul play is expected.
OSHA is also investigating the death.
- - - - - - -
STRATFORD, WI (WSAU) -- A 26-year-old man was found unresponsive at a factory in Stratford near the end of the plant's second shift.
Local police and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are investigating. The employee was found unresponsive around 1 a.m. Wednesday at A&B Process Systems.
Curt Schmidt, Director of Human Resources for A&B Process Systems, has confirmed that first-responders rushed the man to St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, where he was pronounced dead.
The plant is closed Wednesday during the investigation. Schmidt said, "Tomorrow morning, we will have counselling available to everyone and everybody that needs it throughout the entire day. At this point, that's what we're providing."
No foul play is expected by Stratford police. A&B Process Systems provides stainless steel fabrication and industrial engineering services.
BRAINTREE, MASS — A diver hired to inspect the inside of a massive, multistory water tank died Thursday in the frigid waters, as his adolescent son was on the ground below and another man plunged into the tank to try to save him.
An intense rescue effort ensued after the victim, who was not identified, reported a problem with his air supply around 10 a.m. He then lost communication with a spotter atop the million-gallon Lincoln Heights tank, one of five in the town, according to Braintree Fire Chief James O’Brien.
The spotter jumped in to help, but instead found himself also trapped in the dangerously cold water, officials said. The crew called for help, summoning rescuers from around the region to brave high winds, dangerous cold, and icy conditions atop the water tower.
Two firefighters lifted the spotter out of the tank, he said, a job that was made more difficult by the cold weather, which led to the rapid freezing of overflowing water from the tank. O’Brien said the spotter was “completely soaked,” numb, and cold with “no body strength at all.”
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Emergency workers were unable to reach the diver. Town officials were lowering the water level Thursday evening with the intention to remove his body in a “dignified and respectful” manner, Mayor Joseph Sullivan said.
The recovery process was expected to continue into the early morning hours, he said.
“It’s a tragic day. It’s a difficult day for us,” the mayor said at the scene. “That individual was providing valuable service to our community. We also saw the best of our fire department and others who stepped up and took the time to save a life.”
The diver and spotter were working with another person on the ground, along with a representative from the local public works department and the 14-year-old son of the man who died, officials said.
Sullivan said the town had not confirmed whether there were other familial links between the workers.
The town said each of its water tanks has to be inspected once every five years.
Braintree retained a Kentucky-based company, Pittsburg Tank & Tower Co., for the work, and the firm, in turn, hired a subcontractor, T.K. Potable Diving of Texas.
Ben Johnston, president of Pittsburg Tank & Tower, said in a brief phone interview, “It’s a bad day and we’re just trying to get our arms around everything.”
“Certainly, [we offer] prayers for the family of the deceased, and we’ll continue the investigation to understand what happened,” he said.
T.K Potable Diving officials did not immediately respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries seeking comment.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
From left to right: Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan, Fire Chief James O’Brien, and Louis Dutton, water works superintendent.
On its website, the company states that it “strives to provide superior quality potable diving, tank cleaning, and inspections for a variety of industrial, commercial, and retail applications in all 50 states.”
Early indications show no sign of foul play in the man’s death, according to the office of Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey. Investigators from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the site.
Sullivan repeatedly commended the bravery of emergency personnel in the face of challenging conditions.
Shortly after the man became trapped in the tank, the National Weather Service issued an advisory for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, warning of wind gusts between 50 and 60 miles per hour, as well as “extreme cold.”
“It’s a terrible situation, in terms of a tragedy of a lost life,” Sullivan said in a later phone interview. “There were incredibly difficult weather conditions. You’re talking about a 150-foot tower. You’re talking about incredibly cold weather, with wind that was just gusting. Our firefighters responded in a very committed and heroic way.”
Officials said there was no threat to the municipal water supply as a result of the tragedy.
The tank was being drained Thursday through a hydrant located in a wooded area away from any residential neighborhood, Sullivan said.
He also highlighted the dangers inherent in performing the water tower inspections.
“None of this activity should be considered routine,” he said. “And obviously today we found out the difficulty of this work.”
WBZ
Firefighters worked to rescue two workers who became trapped inside a large water tank Thursday morning.
Emergency workers were unable to reach the diver. Town officials were lowering the water level Thursday evening with the intention to remove his body in a “dignified and respectful” manner, Mayor Joseph Sullivan said.
The recovery process was expected to continue into the early morning hours, he said.
“It’s a tragic day. It’s a difficult day for us,” the mayor said at the scene. “That individual was providing valuable service to our community. We also saw the best of our fire department and others who stepped up and took the time to save a life.”
The diver and spotter were working with another person on the ground, along with a representative from the local public works department and the 14-year-old son of the man who died, officials said.
Sullivan said the town had not confirmed whether there were other familial links between the workers.
The town said each of its water tanks has to be inspected once every five years.
Braintree retained a Kentucky-based company, Pittsburg Tank & Tower Co., for the work, and the firm, in turn, hired a subcontractor, T.K. Potable Diving of Texas.
Ben Johnston, president of Pittsburg Tank & Tower, said in a brief phone interview, “It’s a bad day and we’re just trying to get our arms around everything.”
“Certainly, [we offer] prayers for the family of the deceased, and we’ll continue the investigation to understand what happened,” he said.
T.K Potable Diving officials did not immediately respond to telephone and e-mail inquiries seeking comment.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff
From left to right: Braintree Mayor Joseph Sullivan, Fire Chief James O’Brien, and Louis Dutton, water works superintendent.
On its website, the company states that it “strives to provide superior quality potable diving, tank cleaning, and inspections for a variety of industrial, commercial, and retail applications in all 50 states.”
Early indications show no sign of foul play in the man’s death, according to the office of Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey. Investigators from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the site.
Sullivan repeatedly commended the bravery of emergency personnel in the face of challenging conditions.
Shortly after the man became trapped in the tank, the National Weather Service issued an advisory for Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, warning of wind gusts between 50 and 60 miles per hour, as well as “extreme cold.”
“It’s a terrible situation, in terms of a tragedy of a lost life,” Sullivan said in a later phone interview. “There were incredibly difficult weather conditions. You’re talking about a 150-foot tower. You’re talking about incredibly cold weather, with wind that was just gusting. Our firefighters responded in a very committed and heroic way.”
Officials said there was no threat to the municipal water supply as a result of the tragedy.
The tank was being drained Thursday through a hydrant located in a wooded area away from any residential neighborhood, Sullivan said.
He also highlighted the dangers inherent in performing the water tower inspections.
“None of this activity should be considered routine,” he said. “And obviously today we found out the difficulty of this work.”
WBZ
Firefighters worked to rescue two workers who became trapped inside a large water tank Thursday morning.
December 15, 2016
OSHA fines USPS $178K after inspectors find workers
exposed to safety hazards at Merrifield, Virginia distribution center
Employer name: U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center
Inspection site: 8409 Lee Hwy, Merrifield, Virginia
Citations issued: On Dec. 12, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the postal service for three repeat and two serious safety violations, including one issued as a violation of the OSH Act's general duty clause.
Investigation findings: OSHA began the inspection on June 13, 2016, in response to a complaint alleging employee exposure to struck-by hazards at the Merrifield distribution center.
The repeat violations relate to the postal service allowing workers to operate powered industrial trucks without seatbelts, employees exposed to caught-between hazards, and powered industrial trucks used without being inspected. USPS was cited previously for similar violations in 2014 and 2015.
Struck-by hazards due to inadequate lighting, and the use of defective equipment, resulted in the serious violations.
Quote: "Thousands of workers are injured each year - some fatally - while operating powered industrial equipment. Employers like the USPS, whose workers move materials with powered industrial equipment, must that ensure workers are trained properly, loads are stable, and pathways are well lit and clear of obstructions to prevent injury," said Stanley Dutko Jr., director at OSHA's Norfolk Area Office. "It is every employer's legal responsibility to provide workers with a safe and healthful workplace."
Proposed penalties: $178,156
The citation can be viewed at: https://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/USPostalServiceProcessingandDistributionCenterPDCMerifieldVirginia_1154949.pdf.
The employer has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA's area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint; or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Norfolk Area Office at 757- 441-3820.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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December 15, 2016
OSHA cites contractor after another Idaho worker falls to his death
Agency cites RP Construction for failing to provide protection, safety training
BOISE, Idaho - Brandon Horine's first day at work removing shingles from a residential roof in Nampa was also his last. Without required fall protection equipment in place, the 42-year-old worker fell to the ground on Sept. 12, 2016 - suffering severe brain trauma that ended his life several days later.
Investigators with the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Horine's employer, RP Construction failed to prevent the man's death by ensuring fall protection equipment was used. The agency also cited the Nampa-based contractor for not training new workers before roof tear-off and re-roofing activities took place. The worker's death, OSHA says, is the result of an all-too-common occurrence.
"The number of employers in Idaho's residential construction industry that consistently fail to protect their workers from falls hazards is very troubling," said David Kearns, OSHA's area director in Boise. "Brandon Horine's death is a tragic reminder of what happens when employers do nothing to protect their workers. Employers must stop gambling with workers' lives and change the way they operate before an OSHA inspection or before another worker dies needlessly."
View citations here.
Falls account for nearly 40 percent of all deaths in the construction industry, making falls the deadliest of all industry hazards. Sadly, falls are wholly preventable with proper safeguards. OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection be in use when workers perform construction activities 6 feet or more above the next lower level.
In its determined effort to reduce preventable, fall-related deaths, the agency offers an Stop Falls online resource with detailed information in English and Spanish on fall protection standards. The page provides fact sheets, posters and videos that illustrate various fall hazards and appropriate preventive measures.
The ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign was developed in partnership with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. Begun in 2012, the campaign provides employers with lifesaving information and educational materials on how to prevent falls, provide the right equipment for workers and train employees to use gear properly.
RP Construction has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint, or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742).
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.
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