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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced
that an Irvington woman was indicted for
an alleged disability insurance fraud scam.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Sherrie Kathryn Devereaux, 34, of
Irvington, was charged by an Essex County
grand jury with second-degree insurance
fraud, third-degree theft by deception,
and two counts of fourth-degree tampering
with records. The indictment was handed
up yesterday in Superior Court in Essex
County.
The
indictment alleges that between Jan. 23,
2003 and March 16, 2004, Devereaux stole
$4,423 in disability insurance benefits
from JMIC Life Insurance Company. According
to the indictment, a person identified in
the indictment only as L.H. purchased a
car for Devereaux. Although Devereaux was
supposed to make the car payments, L.H.
bought a disability policy to make car payments
in the event that L.H. became disabled.
Following
a legitimate injury, JMIC provided disability
benefits to L.H. by making car payments
on her behalf. The indictment alleges that
Devereaux, without L.H.’s knowledge,
created the false impression that L.H. was
disabled for longer than she truly was,
so that JMIC would continue making the car
payments. The indictment further charges
that Devereaux caused various records and
statements from two doctors’ offices
to be submitted in support of the phony
disability claim.
State Investigator Janet Amberg, Civil Investigator
Marwa Kashef and Deputy Attorney General
Steven B. Farman were assigned to the investigation.
Farman presented the case to the grand jury.
The case was referred to OIFP by JMIC Insurance
Company which helped to uncover the fraud
and assisted OIFP in the investigation.
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown thanks
JMIC for their assistance in this matter.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree charges carry a sentence
of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of
up to $150,000, while third-degree charges
carry a sentence of up to five years and
$15,000. Fourth degree charges carry a sentence
of up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000
fine.
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