Fraud News: Fake Fall, Arson, Payroll Misrepresentation

New Jersey Man Fakes Fall for Insurance Money

Police have arrested a New Jersey man who they say faked a slip and fall at a business to get insurance money.

Prosecutors say the 57-year-old Randolph man was subcontracted to work at a company in Woodbridge when he faked the fall in 2018.

Authorities say surveillance video captured the man grabbing ice and throwing it on the floor before lying down. They say the man waited until he was discovered, and then he filed an insurance claim for hospital treatment.

The man was arrested Jan. 15 and charged with insurance fraud and theft by deception.

Pennsylvania Woman Convicted of 6 Counts in Insurance Fraud Case

A suburban Philadelphia, Pa., woman has been convicted of most charges in a multi-million-dollar insurance fraud case following fires at her Bucks County property.

Jurors in Bucks County deliberated for 41/2 hours before convicting 71-year-old Claire Risoldi on six of nine counts including theft by deception and insurance fraud.

The case related to insurance claims following a 2013 fire at her Buckingham estate, known as Clairemont. She was acquitted of receiving stolen property related to claims from earlier fires or burglary reports.

Risoldi has maintained her innocence since her 2015 indictment and alleges that $10 million in jewelry was gone following the last fire.

Houston Firm Found Guilty of Misrepresenting Payroll

Texas Mutual Insurance Company reported that Alpha Mar, doing business as Industrial Machine Works, pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony on workers’ compensation fraud-related charges. A Travis County district court ordered the company to pay $250,000 in restitution to Texas Mutual. The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation prosecutor in Travis County obtained the conviction.

Alpha Mar, a vessel repair and marine service business located in Houston, obtained workers’ compensation coverage through Texas Mutual. From 2008 to 2012, owner John Stergiou made misrepresentations to Texas Mutual regarding the payroll and operations of Alpha Mar and other related companies.