N.J. Woman Charged with Attempted Fraud

New Jersey Attorney General Peter Harvey announced that the Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor has charged a Hudson County woman with filing a false stolen vehicle police report in order to collect $22,437 worth of insurance money.

According to Vaughn McKoy, Director, Division of Criminal Justice and Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Modesta Vendittoli, 60, of Hudson County, was charged via a State Grand Jury indictment with attempted theft by deception and tampering with a public record (both 3rd degree). If convicted on both counts, Vendittoli faces up to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $30,000. Additionally, Vendittoli faces the possibility of a civil insurance fraud fine pursuant to the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act. Vendittoli will be ordered to appear in Hudson County Superior Court for arraignment.

Gooden Brown noted that the State Grand Jury indictment alleges that on Jan. 28, 2002, Vendittoli reported that her 1999 Honda Acura had been stolen from the Harmon Meadow Plaza parking lot in Secaucus. The stolen vehicle report was filed with the Secaucus Police Department.

The indictment also charges that Vendittoli falsely reported the purported theft to her insurance carrier, the First Trenton Indemnity Company. The investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor determined that Vendittoli’s Acura had, in fact, been impounded by the Jersey City Police Department on Jan. 19, 2002, nine days prior to the purported theft in Secaucus.