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TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced
that a Passaic County man pleaded guilty
today to a $13,000 auto insurance scam.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Frank M. Petrelli, 26, of Totowa,
pleaded guilty before Superior Court Judge
Peter J. Vazquez in Hudson County to a criminal
accusation charging him with third-degree
insurance fraud.
In
pleading guilty, Petrelli admitted that
in 2004 he falsely reported that his 1998
Audi had been stolen while parked in Hoboken.
He subsequently caused another person to
submit a phony theft claim to New Jersey
Manufacturers Insurance Company. New Jersey
Manufacturers paid $13,101 on the claim.
Petrelli admitted that he had willingly
given his car to another so it would appear
to have been stolen and a false theft claim
could be submitted. Investigators uncover
evidence of such owner-initiated “give
ups” when investigating auto theft
claims. Typically, the owner voluntarily
gives up his car to another so it can be
chopped for parts or retagged and sold.
As in this case, the owner then submits
a phony insurance claim.
State Investigator Wendy Wylie, Civil Investigators
John Farley and Erol English, and Deputy
Attorney General William T. McGovern were
assigned to the investigation. McGovern
represented the Office of Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor at the guilty plea hearing.
This
case was referred to OIFP by the Special
Investigative Unit of New Jersey Manufacturers
Insurance Company which initially uncovered
the fraud and greatly assisted OIFP in the
investigation. Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Brown thanks New Jersey Manufacturers for
their assistance in this matter.
Petrelli
is scheduled to appear before Judge Vazquez
on Dec. 21 to be sentenced. Third-degree
crimes carry a sentence of up to five years
in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. Petrelli
also may face civil insurance fraud fines.
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