TRENTON
- Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal
Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced
that the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
has obtained five separate indictments charging
a total of seven people for falsely reporting
that their cars had been stolen.
The charges stem from an
ongoing investigation into an automobile
“give up” scheme. The leader
of the scheme, Jose Torres, 37, of Paterson,
was previously sentenced to eight years
in state prison, with five years of parole
ineligibility.
According to Acting Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor Riza Dagli, the indictments
returned by the Morris County grand jury
charged the following defendants:
State v. Clara Crockett
and Brian Adams. Crockett, 67, of Passaic,
and her son Adams, 42, of Passaic, were
each charged with third-degree insurance
fraud, third-degree theft by deception,
and third-degree tampering with public records
or information. The indictment alleges that
between Sept. 18 and Dec. 8, 2006, Crockett
and Adams falsely reported to the Passaic
Police Department that their 2002 Lexus
IS300 had been stolen, and they subsequently
obtained $18,511 from the Mercury Insurance
Group for the purported theft.
State v. Jorge Osorio-Jaramillo.
Osorio-Jaramillo, 30, whose last known address
was in Paterson, was charged with third-degree
insurance fraud, third-degree theft by deception,
third-degree tampering with public records
or information, and fourth-degree falsifying
records. The indictment alleges that between
Oct. 31 and Nov. 30, 2006, Osorio-Jaramillo
falsely reported to the Lodi Police Department
that his 2005 Nissan Altima had been stolen,
and he subsequently obtained $16,929 from
Mercury Insurance Group by filing a false
affidavit of vehicle theft.
State v. Maria E. Pagan.
Pagan, 51, of Paterson, was charged with
third-degree insurance fraud, third-degree
theft by deception, third-degree tampering
with public records or information, and
fourth-degree falsifying records. The indictment
alleges that between Sept. 21 and Nov. 16,
2006, Pagan falsely reported to the Paterson
Police Department that her 2006 Honda Accord
had been stolen, and she subsequently obtained
$23,830 from State Farm Insurance Company
by filing a false affidavit of vehicle theft.
State v. James Sgambati.
Sgambati, 31, of Parsippany, was charged
with third-degree insurance fraud, third-degree
theft by deception, third-degree tampering
with public records or information, and
fourth-degree falsifying records. The indictment
alleges that between Sept. 12 and Oct. 25,
2006, Sgambati falsely reported to the Paterson
Police Department that his 2006 Dodge Charger
had been stolen, and he subsequently obtained
$31,466 from New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance
Company by filing a false affidavit of vehicle
theft.
State v. Robert R. Silverio
and Jessica V. Silverio. Robert R. Silverio,
39, of Paterson, and his wife, Jessica V.
Silverio, 34, also of Paterson, were each
charged with third-degree insurance fraud,
third-degree theft by deception, third-degree
tampering with public records or information,
and fourth-degree falsifying records. The
indictment alleges that between Sept. 7
and Oct. 9, 2006, the Silverios falsely
reported to the Paterson Police Department
that their 2006 Toyota Camry had been stolen,
and they subsequently obtained $16,740 from
the Allstate Insurance Company by filing
a false affidavit of vehicle theft.
Lieutenant Vincent Gaeta and Deputy Attorney
General John J. Higgins were assigned to
the investigation. Deputy Attorney General
Higgins presented the cases to the Morris
County grand jury. Acting Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor Dagli thanked the Mercury Insurance
Group, New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance
Company, Allstate Insurance Company and
State Farm Insurance Company for their assistance
in this investigation.
The indictments, which were
voted on April 28 but filed in court today,
are merely accusations and the defendants
are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Third-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence
of five years in state prison and a fine
of $15,000, while fourth-degree crimes carry
a maximum sentence of 18 months in state
prison and a fine of $10,000.
Acting
Fraud Prosecutor Dagli 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 1-877-55-FRAUD
or visiting the Web site www.njinsurancefraud.org.
State regulations permit an award to be
paid to an eligible person who provides
information that leads to an arrest, prosecution
and conviction for insurance fraud.
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.
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