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
(c) 2023 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE, is available at http://www.zalma.com and [email protected]
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Detail Charging Defendant for Fraud is Sufficient
Post 5242
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/g_HVw36q, see the video at https://lnkd.in/gpBd-XTg and at https://lnkd.in/gzCnBjgQ and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
Charges that Advises the Defendant of the Crime Cannot be Set Aside
In United States Of America v. Lourdes Navarro, AKA Lulu, No. 25-661, United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (December 4, 2025) Lourdes Navarro appealed the district court’s denial of her motion to dismiss the indictment and enter final judgment was in error.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
The indictment alleged that insurers reimburse only for medically necessary services. Navarro performed unnecessary respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) tests on nasal swabs collected from asymptomatic individuals for COVID-19 screening.
Navarro billed over $455 million to insurers for those additional RPP tests that she knew to be medically unnecessary. These allegations constituted a plain, concise, and definite written ...
Louisiana Statute Prevents Enforcement of Contract Term Requiring Arbitration of Disputes
Post 5241
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/international-convention-requiring-enforcement-award-barry-sttdc, see the video at and at and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5200 posts.
In Town of Vinton v. Indian Harbor Insurance Company, Nos. 24-30035, 24-30748, 24-30749, 24-30750, 24-30751, 24-30756, 24-30757, United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (December 8, 2025) municipal entities including the Town of Vinton, et al sued domestic insurers after dismissing foreign insurers with prejudice. The insurers sought arbitration under the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (the “Convention”) but the court held Louisiana law — prohibiting arbitration clauses in such policies—controls, as the Convention does not apply absent foreign parties who ...
Refusal to Provide Workers’ Compensation is Expensive
Post 5240
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In Illinois Department of Insurance, Insurance Compliance Department v.USA Water And Fire Restoration, Inc., And Nicholas Pacella, Individually And As Officer, Nos. 23WC021808, 18INC00228, No. 25IWCC0467, the Illinois Department of Insurance (Petitioner) initiated an investigation after the Injured Workers’ Benefit Fund (IWBF) was added to a pending workers’ compensation claim. The claim alleged a work-related injury during employment with the Respondents who failed to maintain workers’ compensation Insurance.
Company Overview:
USA Water & Fire Restoration, Inc. was incorporated on January 17, 2014, and dissolved on June 14, 2019, for failure to file annual reports and pay franchise taxes. It then operated under assumed names including USA Board Up & Glass Co. and USA Plumbing and Sewer. The business ...
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dG829BF6; see the video at https://lnkd.in/dyCggZMZ and at https://lnkd.in/d6a9QdDd.
ZIFL Volume 29, Issue 24
Subscribe to the e-mail Version of ZIFL, it’s Free! https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001Gb86hroKqEYVdo-PWnMUkcitKvwMc3HNWiyrn6jw8ERzpnmgU_oNjTrm1U1YGZ7_ay4AZ7_mCLQBKsXokYWFyD_Xo_zMFYUMovVTCgTAs7liC1eR4LsDBrk2zBNDMBPp7Bq0VeAA-SNvk6xgrgl8dNR0BjCMTm_gE7bAycDEHwRXFAoyVjSABkXPPaG2Jb3SEvkeZXRXPDs%3D
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/
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter
Merry Christmas & Happy Hannukah
Read the following Articles from the December 15, 2025 issue:
Read the full 19 page issue of ZIFL at ...
The Professional Claims Handler
Post 5219
Posted on October 31, 2025 by Barry Zalma
An Insurance claims professionals should be a person who:
Can read and understand the insurance policies issued by the insurer.
Understands the promises made by the policy.
Understand their obligation, as an insurer’s claims staff, to fulfill the promises made.
Are competent investigators.
Have empathy and recognize the difference between empathy and sympathy.
Understand medicine relating to traumatic injuries and are sufficiently versed in tort law to deal with lawyers as equals.
Understand how to repair damage to real and personal property and the value of the repairs or the property.
Understand how to negotiate a fair and reasonable settlement with the insured that is fair and reasonable to both the insured and the insurer.
How to Create Claims Professionals
To avoid fraudulent claims, claims of breach of contract, bad faith, punitive damages, unresolved losses, and to make a profit, insurers ...
The History Behind the Creation of a Claims Handling Expert
The Insurance Industry Needs to Implement Excellence in Claims Handling or Fail
Post 5210
This is a change from my normal blog postings. It is my attempt. in more than one post, to explain the need for professional claims representatives who comply with the basic custom and practice of the insurance industry. This statement of my philosophy on claims handling starts with my history as a claims adjuster, insurance defense and coverage lawyer and insurance claims handling expert.
My Training to be an Insurance Claims Adjuster
When I was discharged from the US Army in 1967 I was hired as an insurance adjuster trainee by a professional and well respected insurance company. The insurer took a chance on me because I had been an Army Intelligence Investigator for my three years in the military and could use that training and experience to be a basis to become a professional insurance adjuster.
I was initially sat at a desk reading a text-book on insurance ...
