The Source For Insurance Fraud Professionals
Barry Zalma
Jun 15, 2023
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/guRGyUWF issue of Zalma's Insurance Fraud Letter at https://lnkd.in/gBSDd2fE and at , see the full video at https://lnkd.in/g6A2dpiQ and at https://lnkd.in/gfawk3CV and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4500 posts.
From https://zalma.com/blog, this, the Twelfth issue of the 27th year of publication Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter provides multiple articles on how to deal with insurance fraud in the United States. The issue begins with:
The Source For Insurance Fraud Professionals
From https://zalma.com/blog, this, the Twelfth issue of the 27th year of publication Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter provides multiple articles on how to deal with insurance fraud in the United States. The issue begins with:
Restitution Order Can’t Be Discharged in Bankruptcy
After Frayba Tipton and William Tipton pled guilty to committing insurance fraud, they were ordered to pay victim restitution to Nationwide Insurance Company of America (Nationwide). Nationwide obtained a civil judgment and an award of over $1,200,000 in civil litigation against the Tipton’s only to have the judgment discharged in bankruptcy. Nationwide then petitioned the trial court to convert the criminal restitution orders to civil judgments against both defendants. The trial court granted Nationwide’s petition and entered civil judgments against the defendants.
In Nationwide Insurance Company Of America v. Frayba Tipton et al., C095606, California Court of Appeals, Third District, San Joaquin (May 26, 2023) the court agreed that the restitution order could be made collectible as a civil judgment and not subject to discharge in bankruptcy.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
More McClenny Moseley & Associates Issues
This is ZIFL’s eighth installment of the saga of McClenny, Moseley & Associates and its problems with the federal courts in the State of Louisiana and what appears to be an effort to profit from what some Magistrate and District judges indicate may be criminal conduct to profit from insurance claims relating to hurricane damage to the public of the state of Louisiana.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
Another Insurer Bites the Dust
Nevada Insurance Commissioner Petitions to Place Friday Health in Receivership
Friday Health Plans of Nevada has fallen afoul of Nevada Insurance Commissioner Scott Kipper who filed legal action with the Nevada District Court to place it under regulatory supervision.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
Bad News from The Public
A new survey shows it’s, like, totally cool to exaggerate damages on an insurance claim or, like, totally awesome to say you hurt yourself at work when you didn’t.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
Health Insurance Fraud Convictions
Fifteen Year Sentence in $134 Million COVID-19 Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme
Billy Joe Taylor, age 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering on October 27, 2022. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators submitted more than $134 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare in connection with diagnostic laboratory testing, including urine drug testing and tests for respiratory illnesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, that were medically unnecessary, not ordered by medical providers, and not provided as represented. Taylor and his co-conspirators obtained medical information and private personal information for Medicare beneficiaries, and then misused that confidential information to repeatedly submit claims to Medicare for diagnostic tests. According to court documents, Taylor and his co-conspirators received more than $38 million from Medicare on those fraudulent claims.
See the full issue and dozens more convictions at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
Florida Judge Slams SFR Contractor for Misrepresentation, Fraud in Tower Hill Case
SFR Services, a Florida restoration firm made famous by its volume of claims litigation and its charges that United Property & Casualty Insurance Co. had instructed desk adjusters to alter their estimates, now finds itself in some legal trouble of its own.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
Other Insurance Fraud Convictions - Man Sentenced to Prison for Staged Arson and Insurance Fraud
Denis Vladmirovich Molla falsely reported to the Brooklyn Center Police Department that his camper had been intentionally set on fire the 30-year-old Minnesota resident has been handed a 30-month prison sentence, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing fraudulent insurance claims related to a staged arson incident.
See the full issue and more convictions at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
The Baseball Card Scam
This is a Fictionalized True Crime Story of Insurance Fraud from my experience as an Insurance Fraud Expert and is provided to explain why Insurance Fraud is a “Heads I Win, Tails You Lose” situation for Insurers. The story is true, only the names and places were changed to protect the guilty.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
Qui Tam and Insurance Fraud
The qui tam portion of the California Insurance Frauds Prevention Act, like that in many other states, has a qui tam provision.
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
It’s Time to Subscribe to Locals or Substack
For Subscribers Only I Have Published Special Insurance Videos
See the full issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZIFL-06-15-2023.pdf
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Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected]
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Concurrent Cause Doctrine Does Not Apply When all Causes are Excluded
Post 5119
Death by Drug Overdose is Excluded
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Southern Insurance Company Of Virginia v. Justin D. Mitchell, et al., No. 3:24-cv-00198, United States District Court, M.D. Tennessee, Nashville Division (October 10, 2024) Southern Insurance Company of Virginia sought a declaratory judgment regarding its duty to defend William Mitchell in a wrongful death case pending in California state court.
KEY POINTS
1. Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings: The Plaintiff moved for judgment on the pleadings, which was granted in part and denied in part.
2. Duty to Defend: The court found that the Plaintiff has no duty to defend William Mitchell in the California case due to a specific exclusion in the insurance policy.
3. Duty to Indemnify: The court could not determine at this stage whether the Plaintiff had a duty to ...
GEICO Sued Fraudulent Health Care Providers Under RICO and Settled with the Defendants Who Failed to Pay Settlement
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Post 5119
Default of Settlement Agreement Reduced to Judgment
In Government Employees Insurance Company, Geico Indemnity Company, Geico General Insurance Company, and Geico Casualty Company v. Dominic Emeka Onyema, M.D., DEO Medical Services, P.C., and Healthwise Medical Associates, P.C., No. 24-CV-5287 (PKC) (JAM), United States District Court, E.D. New York (July 9, 2025)
Plaintiffs Government Employees Insurance Company and other GEICO companies (“GEICO”) sued Defendants Dominic Emeka Onyema, M.D. (“Onyema”), et al (collectively, “Defendants”) alleging breach of a settlement agreement entered into by the parties to resolve a previous, fraud-related lawsuit (the “Settlement Agreement”). GEICO moved the court for default judgment against ...
ZIFL – Volume 29, Issue 14
Post 5118
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You can read the full 20 page issue of the July 15, 2025 issue at https://lnkd.in/giaSdH29
THE SOURCE FOR THE INSURANCE FRAUD PROFESSIONAL
This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:
The Historical Basis of Punitive Damages
It is axiomatic that when a claim is denied for fraud that the fraudster will sue for breach of contract and the tort of bad faith and seek punitive damages.
The award of punitive-type damages was common in early legal systems and was mentioned in religious law as early as the Book of Exodus. Punitive-type damages were provided for in Babylonian law nearly 4000 years ago in the Code of Hammurabi.
You can read this article and the full 20 page issue of the July 15, 2025 issue at https://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ZIFL-07-15-2025.pdf
Insurer Refuses to Submit to No Fault Insurance Fraud
...
Rulings on Motions Reduced the Issues to be Presented at Trial
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CASE OVERVIEW
In Richard Bernier v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, No. 4:24-cv-00002-GMS, USDC, D. Alaska (May 28, 2025) Richard Bernier made claim under the underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage provided in his State Farm policy, was not satisfied with State Farm's offer and sued. Both parties tried to win by filing motions for summary judgment.
FACTS
Bernier was involved in an auto accident on November 18, 2020, and sought the maximum available UIM coverage under his policy, which was $50,000. State Farm initially offered him $31,342.36, which did not include prejudgment interest or attorney fees.
Prior to trial Bernier had three remaining claims against State Farm:
1. negligent and reckless claims handling;
2. violation of covenant of good faith and fair dealing; and
3. award of punitive damages.
Both Bernier and State Farm dispositive motions before ...
ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 10
The Source for the Insurance Fraud Professional
See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gK_P4-BK and at https://lnkd.in/g2Q7BHBu, and at https://zalma.com/blog and at https://lnkd.in/gjyMWHff.
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 29th 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/ You can read the full issue of the May 15, 2025 issue at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ZIFL-05-15-2025.pdf
This issue contains the following articles about insurance fraud:
Health Care Fraud Trial Results in Murder for Hire of Witness
To Avoid Conviction for Insurance Fraud Defendants Murder Witness
In United States of America v. Louis Age, Jr.; Stanton Guillory; Louis Age, III; Ronald Wilson, Jr., No. 22-30656, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (April 25, 2025) the Fifth Circuit dealt with the ...
Professional Health Care Services Exclusion Effective
Post 5073
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This opinion is the recommendation of a Magistrate Judge to the District Court Judge and involves Travelers Casualty Insurance Company and its duty to defend the New Mexico Bone and Joint Institute (NMBJI) and its physicians in a medical negligence lawsuit brought by Tervon Dorsey.
In Travelers Casualty Insurance Company Of America v. New Mexico Bone And Joint Institute, P.C.; American Foundation Of Lower Extremity Surgery And Research, Inc., a New Mexico Corporation; Riley Rampton, DPM; Loren K. Spencer, DPM; Tervon Dorsey, individually; Kimberly Dorsey, individually; and Kate Ferlic as Guardian Ad Litem for K.D. and J.D., minors, No. 2:24-cv-0027 MV/DLM, United States District Court, D. New Mexico (May 8, 2025) the Magistrate Judge Recommended:
Insurance Coverage Dispute:
Travelers issued a Commercial General Liability ...
