|
TRENTON
- Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal
Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni announced
that a Gloucester County woman was sentenced
today for defrauding her ex-husband’s
health insurance company out of more than
$13,000.
According
to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden
Brown, Catherine Gassler, 54, of Monroeville,
was ordered by Superior Court Judge Walter
L. Marshall in Gloucester County to serve
five years probation and to pay $13,460 in
restitution and a $2,500 civil fine. Gassler
previously pleaded guilty to a criminal accusation
which charged theft by deception and tampering
with records.
In
pleading guilty on Dec. 22, Gassler admitted
that between Dec. 12, 2006, and Aug. 5, 2008,
she fraudulently received $13,460 in health
insurance benefits from Oxford Health Plans,
her ex-husband’s health insurance provider,
even though they were divorced and she was
no longer entitled to receive the benefits.
She also admitted that she provided false
information on a coordination of benefits
form in order to continue receiving the benefits.
Detective
Weldon Powell, Civil Investigator Michelle
Watson, and Deputy Attorney General Cheryl
A. Maccaroni were assigned to the investigation.
Deputy Attorney General Maccaroni represented
the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at
the sentencing. Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Brown thanked Oxford Health Plans for its
assistance in this matter.
“Far
too commonly, people intentionally misrepresent
their marital status in order to obtain health
insurance benefits,” said Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown. “Citizens
should realize that not only will benefits
be denied if they misrepresent their marital
status, but they can be charged with a crime.”
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.
#
# #
|
