Hudson County Auto Body Shop Owner Charged in Insurance Fraud Scam

TRENTON - Attorney General Zulima V. Farber and Division of Criminal Justice Director Gregory A. Paw announced that the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor has obtained an indictment charging a Hudson County auto body shop owner with conspiracy and attempted theft for his role in an insurance fraud scam.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Louis Rivadeneira, 68, of West New York, was charged with third degree conspiracy and third degree attempted theft by deception. If convicted of both charges, Rivadeneira faces up to ten years in state prison and a fine of up to $30,000.

The state grand jury indictment alleges that between May 2000 and August 2003, Rivadeneira, the former owner and operator of an automobile body repair business known as Louis & Sons Auto Body, or Louis’ Boulevard Auto Body, which did business at 6120 Kennedy Boulevard in West New York, inflated automobile body repair claims before submitting them to the Allstate Insurance Company and United Services Automobile Association (USAA). The state alleges, based on an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, that upon receiving automobiles to be repaired, Rivadeneira caused additional damage to be inflicted on the cars so that he could inflate the insurance claims. He also allegedly billed USAA for replacement parts in instances when, in fact, he repaired the original parts and never purchased replacements.

State Investigator Jose Vendas and Deputy Attorney General Nicole D. Rizzolo, both of whom are assigned to the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor, Division of Criminal Justice, coordinated the investigation, and DAG Rizzola presented the case to the state grand jury.
The indictment, which was handed up today, is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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