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TRENTON
- Division of Criminal Justice Director
Gregory A. Paw announced that a Warren County
man has pleaded guilty today for his role
in a disability insurance fraud.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Mark A. Matyas, 36, of Hardwick,
pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge
John H. Pursel in Warren County to a criminal
accusation which charged him with third-degree
insurance fraud.
At
the guilty plea hearing, Matyas admitted
that between Sept. 30, 2004 and Oct. 27,
2005, he submitted a fraudulent application
for disability insurance to Provident Life
and Casualty Company. Matyas admitted that
he lied on the application about his medical
and psychological history, as well as about
his employment status. It is further charged
that Matyas made up the name of an employer
and, when the insurance adjuster called
the fictitious employer, Matyas pretended
to be his own boss.
The
Provident Life and Casualty Company investigated
the circumstances surrounding Matyas’
application and claim, and referred the
matter to the Office of Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor.
State
Investigator Eric Barnes, Civil Investigator
Errol English and Deputy Attorney General
James F. Flanagan were assigned to the investigation.
Flanagan represented the Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor at the guilty plea hearing.
Third-degree
crimes carry a sentence of up to five years
in state prison and a criminal fine of up
to $15,000. Matyas also may face civil insurance
fraud fines.
The Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
was established by the Automobile Insurance
Cost Reduction Act of 1998. The Office is
the centralized state agency that investigates
and prosecutes both civil and criminal insurance
fraud, as well as Medicaid fraud.
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