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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced
that a Mercer County woman has been indicted
on charges she committed disability insurance
fraud.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Rose Horne, 26, of Trenton, was charged
with insurance fraud and theft by deception,
both in the third degree, two counts of
fourth-degree falsifying records, and two
counts of fourth-degree forgery.
The
Mercer County grand jury indictment, which
was handed up in court late yesterday, alleges
that between May 31, 2005 and February 3,
2006, Horne wrongfully collected disability
insurance claims money. Specifically, it
is alleged that Horne falsified insurance
claim forms to reflect that she was temporarily
disabled and unable to work. The indictment
also alleges that she forged the signature
of a physician on the claim forms in support
of her phony disability claim. It is alleged
that the claims were submitted to CUNA Mutual
Insurance Group, and that Horne wrongfully
collected about $4,567 in disability payments
to which she was not entitled.
State
Investigator Carlos Ortiz and Deputy Attorney
General Susan Kase were assigned to the
investigation. Kase represented the Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor before the
Mercer County grand jury. This case was
referred to OIFP by the Special Investigative
Unit of the CUNA Mutual Insurance Group
which initially uncovered the fraud and
assisted OIFP in the investigation.
The indictment is merely an accusation and
the defendant is presumed innocent until
proven guilty. Third-degree crimes carry
a maximum punishment of five years in state
prison and a criminal fine of $15,000, while
fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum punishment
of 18 months in state prison and a criminal
fine of $10,000. Horne also faces civil
insurance fraud fines.
The
Office of 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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