Regular readers of this weblog may have received the impression that Decs&Excs is unduly critical or skeptical when it comes to the policies of California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi. So, to be sure that credit is being given where it appears to be due, it must be said that under Commissioner Garamendi's leadership, the California Department of Insurance seems to be at least as serious about pursuing those who attempt to defraud insurance companies as it is in pursuing wrongdoing by insurance professionals. Which is as it should be.
Here is a good example, as described in a Press Release just issued by the Department. See if you can spot the errors in the scheme of this would-be fraudulent claimant:
LOS ANGELES -- A woman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve two years in state prison and ordered to pay $6,500 in restitution to State Farm Insurance Company following an investigation by the California Department of Insurance (CDI). Paula Serese Teate, 35, pleaded guilty last month in Los Angeles Superior Court to one felony count of insurance fraud. . . .
'When a person defrauds the system—acting solely on greed, it is an added and unnecessary cost that hurts all businesses in California,' said Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi. 'Our department is particularly disappointed when people try to rip-off insurance companies for personal gain. My investigators worked closely with the businesses involved to end this scam, and we won’t stop there in our efforts against insurance fraud.'
According to CDI investigators, Teate, a public relations director for Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles filed a bogus $9,616 claim with State Farm Insurance Company, in Culver City. Teate purportedly placed after-market custom tires and chrome wheels on her vehicle and claimed it was stolen from the parking lot of Roscoe’s House of Chicken & Waffles Restaurant and subsequently destroyed by fire. However, the salesperson at the store Teate claims to have purchased the after-market accessories stated he gave her a written quote only. The investigation showed Teate altered the quote to look like she bought the tires and chrome wheels when in fact she did not. Additionally, during the post prosecution phase of the investigation, it was revealed that the OZ Comanche wheels and tires she purportedly purchased in September 1999 hadn’t even been manufactured yet. . . .
"Well done" to the Department's fraud staff -- although it would be nice if these cases could be processed in under six years.
Roscoe's, by the way, is a Los Angeles institution, and the conviction of its employee in this case is no reflection on its chicken, its waffles, or any of the other soulful Southern delicacies on its menu.
I don't know where else to go. I uncovered my former insurance agent's trail of ID theft, missing people with the deeds to their property forged (verified.) He is an insurance agent/estate planner/broker dealer, who preys on clients. Doors are opened with his offers of "help with home repairs."
Not able to understand why the various agencies put more effort into discrediting me than following up on all that I uncovered, I did some more investigating. This man is a former appraiser for the City of Fresno. His "help with home repairs" entails sewer/water line altering.
He has combined the City's "secret sideline" with real estate theft, thereby creating a nightmare that assures HIS protection.
As others are taught how easy it is to "eliminate" people and take their homes and ID over, his entourage continues to grow.
I narrowly escaped before they finished what they began on our properties. It does not appear that the owner of the Laundromat next door was as fortunate. He has not been seen since the same damages were carried out i.e., walls down and up, windows/doors switched, sewer lines relocated. New deed looks forged.
For over 20 yrs, my neighbor was there daily - he has not been seen since. New deed looks forged. (Risk analyst was the last person I saw talking to him. I assume that is why she refused to speak to me.)
Fresno, CA
Posted by: Marla K. | January 14, 2007 at 06:34 PM