According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown, Nicholas Barbella, 40, Marcel Drive, Dingmans Ferry, PA, was ordered by Essex County Superior Court Judge Martin G. Cronin to perform 75 hours of community service, pay a criminal fine of $5,000, and serve two years probation after pleading guilty to forgery (4th degree). Barbella was charged via a Nov. 29, 2004 Essex County Grand Jury indictment filed by the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

At the Feb. 14 guilty plea hearing before Judge Cronin, Barbella, a roofing contractor d/b/a Dr. Frank-n-Stein, Inc., admitted that between Sept. 3, 2002 and Feb. 24, 2003, he issued a phony Certificate of Insurance to the management of Lawton Arms Apartments, Prospect Avenue, West Orange, Essex County. A Certificate of Insurance is used by contractors when bidding construction jobs and performing construction work to prove that they have the requisite insurance coverage to engage in the construction work. An investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor determined that the Certificate of Insurance was purportedly issued by the Cumberland Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Bridgeton, Cumberland County, when the company issued no such certificate.

State Investigator Earl Washington and Deputy Attorney General Nicole D. Rizzolo were assigned to the investigation. DAG Rizzolo represented the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the sentencing.