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Police & Fire
West New York Driver Pleads Guilty To Filing Bogus Insurance Claim After Hoboken Hit-Run Crash West New York Driver Pleads Guilty To Filing Bogus Insurance Claim After Hoboken Hit-Run Crash
West New York Driver Pleads Guilty To Filing Bogus Insurance Claim After Hoboken Hit-Run Crash A 32-year-old Hudson County resident filed a bogus insurance fraud claim after his involvement in a hit-and-run crash with a parked car, authorities said. Richard Hamedl, of West New York, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree insurance fraud in relation to the claim filed after the crash with a parked car in Hoboken, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. The plea was accepted by the Superior Court Judge Vincent J. Militello, during a virtual plea hearing on Feb. 3, Suarez said. Hamedl was behind the wheel of a 2019 BMW X6 when he hit a parked car on 10th Street in Hoboke…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Insurance Broker Admits Building BBQ Restaurant With More Than $1M Swindled From Investors NJ Insurance Broker Admits Building BBQ Restaurant With More Than $1M Swindled From Investors
NJ Insurance Broker Admits Building BBQ Restaurant With More Than $1M Swindled From Investors An insurance broker from Union County admitted in federal court Tuesday that he swindled unwitting investors out of more than $1 million that he sunk, instead, into a BBQ joint. Ivan Ramos, 39, of Hillside was working for New York Life when he sought out inexperienced investors from among customers who bought life insurance from him or people he met at company marketing events or through mutual acquaintances, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachel Honig said. He “led his victims to believe, through misrepresentations and omissions, that two entities that he controlled, Invexperts LLC and Wealth Seeds…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Prosecutor: Roselle Driver Filed Bogus $23K Insurance Claim Hours After Drunken Crash Prosecutor: Roselle Driver Filed Bogus $23K Insurance Claim Hours After Drunken Crash
Prosecutor: Roselle Driver Filed Bogus $23K Insurance Claim Hours After Drunken Crash A Roselle man was busted filing a bogus insurance claim on his luxury car after he drunkenly crashed it earlier this year, authorities said Friday. Brian Bullock, 31, was charged with second-degree insurance fraud, second- and third-degree falsifying government documents, and third-degree tampering with public records or information in connection with the June 20 crash, Acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo and Roselle Police Chief Brian Barnes announced. Roselle police officers responded to Spruce Street near East 10th Avenue around 12:40 a.m. on June 20, where Bullock had drun…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Bodega Owners Charged With Aggravated Arson In Fire That Damaged Jersey City Grocery Store Bodega Owners Charged With Aggravated Arson In Fire That Damaged Jersey City Grocery Store
Bodega Owners Charged With Aggravated Arson In Fire That Damaged Jersey City Grocery Store A pair of Jersey City bodega owners were charged with setting fire to their shop in June of last year, authorities said. Amado Gonzalez-Abreu, age 38, and Francisca Duran-Tejada, age 47, were arrested at the Jersey City Fire Department Headquarters on Marin Boulevard Wednesday, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Members of the Jersey City Fire Department were responding to a fire alarm at 9 Linden Ave., in Jersey City when they noticed smoke coming from the first floor store at 343 Princeton Ave., around 6:20 a.m. June 9, 2019, Suarez said. Smoke billowed from the three-story, wo…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Hudson 'Runner' In $3.5M Accident Insurance Fraud Scheme Gets Year And Day In Federal Prison Hudson 'Runner' In $3.5M Accident Insurance Fraud Scheme Gets Year And Day In Federal Prison
Hudson 'Runner' In $3.5M Accident Insurance Fraud Scheme Gets Year And Day In Federal Prison A Hudson County man is headed to federal prison for a plea-bargained year and a day for recruiting accident victims for an insurance fraud racket that racked up $3.5 million in bogus medical bills. Luis G. Aguirre, 57, of Kearny admitted in March that he worked as a “runner,” steering accident victims to various chiropractors, medical imaging centers and others who billed PIP insurance plans for medically unnecessary services. Health care providers gave Aguirre $500 in cash for each victim he delivered, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Aguirre and an employee from an auto body shop…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Morris County Mastermind Behind Bogus Life Insurance Scheme Faces Theft, Fraud Charges Morris County Mastermind Behind Bogus Life Insurance Scheme Faces Theft, Fraud Charges
Morris County Mastermind Behind Bogus Life Insurance Scheme Faces Theft, Fraud Charges The Morris County mastermind behind a bogus life insurance policy scheme who forged a victim's signature on important documents is facing insurance fraud and theft charges, authorities said Monday. John G. Vincelli, of Lake Hopatcong, submitted an unauthorized life insurance application for a client’s two children without their consent, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp said Monday in a joint release with Morris County Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker. Vincelli, 35, had been receiving a commission after creating the scheme and made unauthorized withdrawals from the victim…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Bergen Accident Victim 'Runner' From Hudson Admits Role in $3.5M Insurance Fraud Bergen Accident Victim 'Runner' From Hudson Admits Role in $3.5M Insurance Fraud
Bergen Accident Victim 'Runner' From Hudson Admits Role in $3.5M Insurance Fraud A Hudson County man admitted in federal court on Tuesday that he recruited Bergen County traffic accident victims for an insurance fraud racket that racked up $3.5 million in bogus medical bills. Luis G. Aguirre, 59, of Kearny worked as a “runner,” identifying accident victims whom he then introduced to various chiropractors, medical imaging centers and others who billed PIP insurance plans for medically unnecessary services, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Health care providers gave Aguirre $500 in cash for each victim he delivered, the U.S. attorney said. Aguirre and an employee from…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Authorities: Morris County Homeowner Charged In Insurance Arson Fire Authorities: Morris County Homeowner Charged In Insurance Arson Fire
Authorities: Morris County Homeowner Charged In Insurance Arson Fire A Morris County man was charged with setting fire to his home for insurance purposes, authorities announced Friday. Gilmar Tejada, 37, was the only person in the single-family Cedar Street home in East Hanover before the Dec. 21, 2019 blaze broke out in the basement and quickly spread through the home, they said. “Subsequent investigation revealed that insurance documents related to the property were not accurate,” Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker and East Hanover Township Police Chief Christopher F. Cannizzo said in a joint announ…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Self-Described ‘El Chapo Of Opioids' Doctor From Oakland Indicted Again, This Time By The Feds Self-Described ‘El Chapo Of Opioids' Doctor From Oakland Indicted Again, This Time By The Feds
Self-Described ‘El Chapo Of Opioids' Doctor From Oakland Indicted Again, This Time By The Feds An Oakland physician who already pleaded guilty to state insurance fraud charges has been indicted on federal counts of prescribing opioids without a legitimate medical reason and doctoring records to cover it up. FBI agents in May arrested Robert Delagente -- who they said called himself the “Candy Man” and the “El Chapo of Opioids” – during raids at two of his offices in Oakland. Federal authorities began investigating Delagente, 45, after two former employees accused him of firing them because they didn’t want to participate in his schemes. Delagente routinely prescribed oxycodone, Perc…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Newark Residents Charged In $235K Insurance Fraud Scheme Newark Residents Charged In $235K Insurance Fraud Scheme
Newark Residents Charged In $235K Insurance Fraud Scheme Seven people, almost all from New Jersey, have been charged in connection with a scheme to steal $235,000 from three insurance annuity policies issued by Lincoln Financial Group, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Thursday.  Authorities say the company received death claims benefit applications from people posing as beneficiaries. The thefts occurred between December 2015 and September 2016, authorities also said.  The following people were charged in an indictment handed up last month:  • Gaetanina Nicole Zarbo, 34, of New Albany, Ohio, who was charged with three c…

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by Paul Milo
Police & Fire
Oakland 'Candy Man' Doc Who Dubbed Himself ‘El Chapo Of Opioids' Admits Scamming Insurers Oakland 'Candy Man' Doc Who Dubbed Himself ‘El Chapo Of Opioids' Admits Scamming Insurers
Oakland 'Candy Man' Doc Who Dubbed Himself ‘El Chapo Of Opioids' Admits Scamming Insurers An Oakland doctor who boasted of being the “El Chapo of Opioids” will be sentenced to a plea-bargained five years in state prison after admitting that he submitted $32,000 in bogus health insurance claims. Under the terms of his deal with the state, Robert Delagente will be sentenced to the five years on Jan. 10 in exchange for pleading guilty to health care claims fraud during a hearing in Superior Court in Hackensack. Delagente, 45, admitted that he submitted seven fraudulent claims to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of New Jersey totaling $32,006 between May and December 2016 while practicing at …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
WNY Couple Lied About Military Duty To Get Insurance Payout: Prosecutor WNY Couple Lied About Military Duty To Get Insurance Payout: Prosecutor
WNY Couple Lied About Military Duty To Get Insurance Payout: Prosecutor A West New York couple turned themselves in Friday after they were charged with fraudulently obtaining insurance reimbursement for a cancelled trip, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said.  David Lutchmidat, 56, and 50-year-old Yvonne Sanichar were accompanied by attorneys when they reported to the prosecutor's office in Jersey City, where they were both arrested on charges of insurance fraud and theft by deception. Lutchmidat was also charged with forgery.  Both were released on their own recognizance.  Authorities say the two tried to get insurance reimbursement for a …

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by Paul Milo