Four admit to role in Fla. scheme allegedly involving Zurich adjuster
Oct 18, 2010
The following article was published by Insurance and Financial Advisor on October 18, 2010:
Four people pleaded guilty for their roles in an insurance fraud scheme where a Florida insurance adjuster working for Zurich Insurance Group would allegedly split proceeds from false claims he filed on them.
Donald Alfred Toohey III was charged in March by the Florida Department of Financial Services with creating 26 fictitious claims for “clients” who did not have real policies, leading to $242,657 in false claims between August 2004 and June 2009, according to the St. Petersburg Times.
The people who pleaded guilty have agreed to testify against Toohey, who faces trial on charges of grand theft and conspiracy, the newspaper reported.
Authorities said Toohey would create and file claims on the others. Toohey, authorities said, would then take a portion of the fraudulent payment from Zurich. Claims typically were filed for between $8,800 and $67,000.
All of the defendants received probation, but must pay restitution, according to the newspaper.
The newspaper reported that the others involved in the alleged scheme include:
Tricia Ann Allen, 28, of Spring Hill, Fla., who pleaded guilty to grand them and was sentenced to five years of probation and more than $16,000 in restitution to Zurich.
Brian Frederick Kneifer and Anthony Michael Kneifer, 27-year-old twins who live in New Port Richey, Fla., pleaded guilty to grand theft, were sentenced to five years of probation and must pay more than $2,000 in restitution each.
Scott Addison Kincaid, 44, who is Allen’s cousin and also lives in New Port Richey, pleaded no contest to grand theft and was sentenced to two years of probation and to pay more than $11,000 in restitution.
All of the co-conspirators were charged with grand theft and conspiracy to commit grand theft, but the second charge was later dropped, according to the newspaper.
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