Zalma on Insurance
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Insurance Claims professional presents articles and videos on insurance, insurance Claims and insurance law for insurance Claims adjusters, insurance professionals and insurance lawyers who wish to improve their skills and knowledge. Presented by an internationally recognized expert and author.
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April 20, 2022
True Crime of Insurance Fraud Video Number 58

The Bookkeeper's Attempt at Fraud Fails
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gGFs-Xxr and see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gBrm-vn5 and at https://lnkd.in/ghwdqjMQ and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4150 posts.
Posted on April 20, 2022 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at https://rumble.com/v11kqkq-true-crime-of-insurance-fraud-video-number-58.html and at

The bookkeeper was a first generation Russian-American. He was born in New York City six weeks after his parents were admitted into the United States as Refugees, escaping the Soviet Russia after the end of the Second World War. He was the first member of his family to graduate from any school. He received a scholarship to Columbia University where he obtained his bachelor of arts degree in business administration. He also spoke fluent Russian since his parents were more comfortable speaking their native language at home.

The Bookkeeper came to California in the early 1960’s. He worked in a large accounting firm as a bookkeeping clerk. After three unsuccessful attempts at passing the CPA exam, he decided he was not cut out to be a certified public accountant.

From the late 1950’s until the early 1970’s a great number of Soviet Russian immigrants were allowed into the United States as refugees. A large Russian community established itself in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles and in Glendale, California.

The bookkeeper, because of his ability to speak the language, began doing the books and tax returns in his spare time for Russian immigrants. Word of mouth spread throughout the Russian speaking community and soon his spare time job was taking more time than his real job. He sat up a bookkeeping service in a storefront and became the bookkeeper to the Russian community.

He started a business. He bought a furniture manufacturing plant and, because he had no experience in the operation of a manufacturing business, he lost all of his investment. Remembering the skills of his clients, the bookkeeper sold off all of the equipment and inventory of the manufacturing business and then reported a burglary.

This time, much to the Bookkeeper’s surprise, the insurer investigated. They discovered the identity of the buyers of the equipment claimed stolen and put to an end a successful career in fraud.

The Bookkeeper is now serving a five year term in the state prison and the burned out shell of his dream home was sold by his mortgagee, after foreclosure, for the value of the land.

The Bookkeeper should have done what he was good at doing, keeping the books for criminals. But for greed, the bookkeeper would still be helping others commit fraud at no risk to himself. His error was to try to be as criminal as his clients.
ZALMA OPINION

Although the Bookkeeper was effective at helping his criminal clients succeed he was not a dedicated criminal and that is why his attempt at fraud failed. Insurance fraud requires skill, unmitigated gall, and the ability to lie effectively. He had the skill and the gall but was not an effective liar. Fraud failed.

(c) 2022 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, now limits his practice to service as an insurance consultant specializing in insurance coverage, insurance claims handling, insurance bad faith and insurance fraud almost equally for insurers and policyholders. He practiced law in California for more than 44 years as an insurance coverage and claims handling lawyer and more than 54 years in the insurance business. He is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected].

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Write to Mr. Zalma at [email protected]; http://www.zalma.com; http://zalma.com/blog; daily articles are published at https://zalma.substack.com.

Go to the podcast Zalma On Insurance at https://anchor.fm/barry-zalma; Follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://rumble.com/c/c-262921; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCysiZklEtxZsSF9DfC0Expg; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/

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April 02, 2026
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – April 1, 2026

ZIFL – Volume 30, Issue 7 – April 1, 2026

THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
Post number 5314

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 30th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:

No One is Above the Law – Not Even a Police Officer

Police Officer Convicted for Fraud in Reporting an Accident Affirmed
Police Officer Should never Lie about Results of Chase

In State Of Ohio v. Anthony Holmes, No. 115123, 2026-Ohio-736, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga (March 5, 2026) a police officer appealed criminal conviction as a result of lies about a high speed chase.

Read the following article and the full issue of ZIFL at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ZIFL-04-01-2026-1.pdf...

April 01, 2026
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter – April 1, 2026

ZIFL – Volume 30, Issue 7 – April 1, 2026

THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
Post number 5314

Posted on April 1, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 30th year of publication dedicated to those involved in reducing the effect of insurance fraud. ZIFL is published 24 times a year by ClaimSchool and is written by Barry Zalma. It is provided FREE to anyone who visits the site at http://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:

No One is Above the Law – Not Even a Police Officer

Police Officer Convicted for Fraud in Reporting an Accident Affirmed
Police Officer Should never Lie about Results of Chase

In State Of Ohio v. Anthony Holmes, No. 115123, 2026-Ohio-736, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga (March 5, 2026) a police officer appealed criminal conviction as a result of lies about a high speed chase.

Read the following article and the full issue of ZIFL at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ZIFL-04-01-2026-1.pdf...

March 31, 2026
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Posted on March 30, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Insurance Fraud, a Way to Reduce Violent Crime
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A Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from an Expert who explains why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story helps to Understand How Insurance Fraud in America is Costing Everyone who Buys Insurance Thousands of Dollars Every year and Why Insurance Fraud is Safer and More Profitable for the ­­­Perpetrators than any Other Crime.

She Taught Her Customers The Swoop And Squat:

Recently the California Insurance Department’s Fraud Division arrested a young woman in Los Angeles County for operating an insurance fraud school. She advertised her classes in the “Penny Saver” an advertising sheet distributed free to the public and a print version of Facebook, X Craig’s list. She had operated for several years teaching methods of committing automobile insurance fraud. Only after a police officer enrolled in one of her classes was she arrested.

Her defense ...

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