TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Division
of Criminal Justice Director Stephen J.
Taylor announced that two Pennsylvania men
and a construction company have been charged
in a state grand jury indictment for their
alleged roles in an insurance fraud scheme
that targeted homes purportedly damaged
by hail.
According
to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Ronald
Chillemi, Marcin Gradziel, 32, of Norristown,
Pa., and Dominik Sadowski, 34, of Sellersville,
Pa., were charged yesterday (June 14) with
second-degree conspiracy, second-degree
insurance fraud and third-degree theft by
deception. Sadowski was also charged with
third-degree insurance fraud. In addition,
Precision Network Solutions, Inc. d/b/a
Precision Builders, which has offices located
in Voorhees and Marlton as well as in Havertown,
Pa., was charged with second-degree conspiracy,
second-and third-degree insurance fraud
and two counts of third-degree theft by
deception.
The
state grand jury indictment alleges that
between Nov. 20, 2010 and March 16, 2011,
Gradziel and Sadowski, employees of Precision
Builders, caused fraudulent property damage
insurance claims to be submitted to Traveler’s
Insurance Company, for property damage to
at least five homes within Burlington, Camden,
Gloucester and Mercer Counties purportedly
caused by hail storms.
An
investigation determined that representatives
from Precision Builders were canvassing
neighborhoods and were claiming that homes
had been damaged in a hail storm and advising
homeowners that they could get new siding
and roofing at no cost.
Several
homeowners allegedly told investigators
that they were not aware that they had any
hail damage to their homes before being
solicited by Precision Builders. It is alleged
that, after homeowners filed claims with
their insurance carrier, Gradziel and Sadowski
would visit and damage the properties prior
to the adjusters’ inspections.
As a result of the fraud, as employees of
Precision Builders, Gradziel allegedly caused
approximately $53,464 in claim monies to
be obtained and Sadowski allegedly caused
or conspired to cause approximately $15,256
in claim monies to be obtained for Precision
Builders, both from Traveler’s Insurance
Company. It is alleged that, in the majority
of the cases, when the homeowners received
money from Traveler’s Insurance Company
for the damage, they would subsequently
turn the money over to Precision Builders.
Acting Sergeant Anthony Butler, Detective
Janessa Jones and Deputy Attorney General
Dianne C. DiGiamber Deal were assigned to
the investigation. Deputy Attorney General
Deal presented the case to the state grand
jury. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Chillemi thanked Traveler’s Insurance
Company, the Pennsylvania Office of the
Attorney General Insurance Fraud Unit, the
Lehigh County District Attorney’s
Office and the National Insurance Crime
Bureau for their assistance in the investigation.
The
indictment is merely an accusation and the
defendants are presumed innocent until proven
guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum
sentence of 10 years in state prison and
a criminal fine of $150,000, while crimes
of the third degree carry a maximum punishment
of five years in state prison and a criminal
fine of $15,000.
Acting
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Chillemi noted
that some important cases have started with
anonymous tips. People who are concerned
about insurance cheating and have information
about a fraud can report it anonymously
by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD,
or visiting by the web site at www.NJInsurancefraud.org.
State regulations permit a reward to be
paid to an eligible person who provides
information that leads to an arrest, prosecution
and conviction for insurance fraud.
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