Issue 27 Number 16
Barry Zalma
Aug 15, 2023
Read the full Zalma's Insurance Fraud Letter for August 15, 2023 at https://lnkd.in/gDaSqJns and at Read the full article and the full ZIFL at https://lnkd.in/ggcueys2 and see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gSdcrJtR and at https://lnkd.in/g2pxgnJW and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4550 posts.
ZIFL-08-15-2023
Lawyer Paying for Clients Guilty
Experienced Lawyer Claiming Ignorance of Law Is No Defense
Robert Irving Slater was a practicing worker’s compensation attorney when he entered into an agreement with the owner of USA Photocopy who paid a third party to perform intake interviews with clients of defendant’s practice, saving a significant amount of his lawyer’s own employees time and money. In exchange, defendant used USA Photocopy’s services during all workers’ compensation proceedings on those cases.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
More McClenny Moseley & Associates Issues
This is ZIFL’s Twelfth 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.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Free Insurance Videos
Barry Zalma, Esq., CFE has published five days a week videos on insurance claims, insurance claims law, insurance fraud and insurance coverage matters at https://www.rumble.com/zalma.https://rumble.com/c/c-262921.
Good News From the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
Alex Murdaugh accomplice Russell Laffitte gets 7 years for fraud. He will spend seven years in federal prison for helping convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh steal nearly $2M from clients’ legal settlements. Laffitte was sentenced Tuesday after a jury found him guilty of six charges related to wire and bank fraud back in November. The ex-CEO of Palmetto State Bank became the first of the disgraced former attorney’s accomplices to face prison following the June 2021 shooting deaths that stemmed from sprawling investigations into the Murdaugh family finances. He used the role to elaborately pocket tens of thousands of dollars and collected as much as $450K in non-taxable fees. The position also allowed him to send large chunks toward Murdaugh, who had grown desperate to repay mounting loans as an opioid addiction further depleted his accounts. Despite his conviction, Laffitte continued to maintain his innocence. He has insisted for months that he didn’t know he was committing crimes and was manipulated by a major customer.
Read the full article plus many more convictions and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Moral Hazard
Every insurance fraud investigator must understand what a moral hazard is and why it is important to insurance underwriters.
The moral hazard is the increase in uncertainty caused by personal acts of individuals. These acts may contribute to the probability or severity of loss. The individual creating the problem may be the policyholder or another person. In either case the chance of loss is increased. A moral hazard may be present in every line of insurance. No underwriter can ignore it without incurring an increased risk of substantial loss. The moral hazard is very difficult to detect and therefore very dangerous to the insurer.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Health Insurance Fraud Convictions
Former CEO of Whittier Clinic Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Medi-Cal Family Planning Program Through Multimillion-Dollar Scheme
Vincenzo Rubino, 58, of Valencia, the former president and CEO of a Whittier medical clinic pleaded guilty August 3, 2023, to submitting fraudulent billings to a Medi-Cal health care program and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
According to evidence presented at trial, Rubino founded, owned, and operated Santa Maria’s Children and Family Center, a Whittier-based medical clinic based registered as a non-profit public benefit corporation and enrolled as a Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment (Family PACT) provider run through Medi-Cal.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Another Insurer Bites the Dust
Missouri’s Cameron Mutual Placed into Rehabilitation
Cameron Mutual Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Cameron National Insurance Company, were placed into rehabilitation in the second week of August 2023 by the Circuit Court of Cole County, Missouri. Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) Director Chlora Lindley-Myer was named rehabilitator for both companies.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Other Insurance Fraud Convictions
Nassau County, NY, Collision Repair Shops Owner Convicted of Tax Fraud
Jose Cardona, 45, of Oceanside, NY, was sentenced August 2, 2023, for felony tax fraud related to his ownership and operation of two Nassau County collision repair shops, New York State officials announced.
In Nassau County State Supreme Court, Cardona was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation, after having already paid more than $700,000 in restitution.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
It’s Time to Subscribe to Locals or Substack
For Subscribers Only I Have Published Special Insurance Articles and Videos
I published on Locals.com more than 25 videos and two webinars of the Excellence in Claims Handling program. I also published on Substack.com videos and webinars of the Excellence in Claims Handling Program available only to Subscribers.
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Barry Zalma
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 also serves as an arbitrator or mediator for insurance related disputes. 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]
Over the last 55 years Barry Zalma has dedicated his life to insurance, insurance claims and the need to defeat insurance fraud. He has created the following library of books and other materials to make it possible for insurers and their claims staff to become insurance claims professionals.
Barry Zalma, Inc., 4441 Sepulveda Boulevard, CULVER CITY CA 90230-4847, 310-390-4455; Subscribe to Zalma on Insurance at locals.com https://zalmaoninsurance.local.com/subscribe. Subscribe to Excellence in Claims Handling at https://barryzalma.substack.com/welcome. Go to the podcast Zalma On Insurance at https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/barry-zalma/support Write to Mr. Zalma at [email protected]; http://www.zalma.com; http://zalma.com/blog; I publish daily articles at https://zalma.substack.com, 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 the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/ to consider more than 50 volumes written by Barry Zalma on insurance and insurance claims handling.
Go to Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter at https://zalma.com/zalmas-insurance-fraud-letter-2/ 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/ and GTTR at https://gettr.com/@zalma
Read the full article and the full ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/ZIFL-08-15-2023-1.pdf
Over the last 55 years Barry Zalma has dedicated his life to insurance, insurance claims and the need to defeat insurance fraud. He publishes daily articles at https://zalma.substack.com; you can follow Mr. Zalma on Twitter at https://twitter.com/bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://lnkd.in/gV9QJYH.
Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://lnkd.in/gV9QJYH; Go to Barry Zalma on YouTube- https://lnkd.in/g2hGv88; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gKCTg53; and Read the full article and the full ZIFL at https://lnkd.in/ggcueys2
Formulaic Recitation Of The Elements Of Civil Conspiracy Are Insufficient
Post number 5320
See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gPACkgWq and at https://lnkd.in/gsaxij7D, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
In Hassan Fayad v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, et al., No. 2:25-cv-10930, United States District Court, E.D. Michigan, Southern Division (March 24, 2026) Plaintiff Hassan Fayad, the owner of several businesses providing transportation, diagnostics, testing, and therapy services, regularly billed insurance companies for these services, was arrested and tried for fraud, convicted, had the conviction overruled and sued the insurers and prosecutors he found responsible.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
By January 2020, Liberty Mutual, Progressive, Allstate, and Esurance suspected fraudulent activity and filed a complaint with the Michigan Department of Attorney General (MDAG). The insurers alleged that Fayad and others billed Michigan auto insurance policies for profit without actually providing medically ...
Federal Courts Have Limited Jurisdiction
When all Parties Refuse Removal There is No Jurisdiction
Post number 5319
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gp6Z-JYY, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/gAum322y and at https://lnkd.in/gRPzCjmt and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
In Beth Mayhew and Matthew Mayhew v. Vladimir Sadovyh, et al., No. 2:26-CV-04029-WJE, United States District Court, W.D. Missouri (April 6, 2026) Mayhew was involved in a trailer-truck accident with Vladimir Sadovyh, who was employed by Nova First, LLC and Globex Transport, Inc. Both companies owned the tractor-trailer involved.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Chubb and Mohave Transportation Insurance Company jointly issued an insurance policy covering Nova First, Globex, and Sadovyh, with EMA Risk Services acting as a third-party administrator.
Beth Mayhew sued Nova First, Globex, and Sadovyh for negligence in Missouri state court, and following a jury trial, a nuclear judgment was awarded to the Mayhews totaling ...
Ordinary Negligence is What Medical Professi0nal Liability Insures
Post number 5319
See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gxKjDztW and at https://lnkd.in/gnxkxS42, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5300 posts.
Sexual Conduct Exclusion Doesn’t Apply When Doctor Negligently Uses His Own Sperm
In Integris Insurance Company v. Narendra B. Tohan, No. AC 47222, Court of Appeals of Connecticut (April 7, 2026) Integris Insurance Company, a medical professional liability insurer, initiated a declaratory action to determine its duty to defend and indemnify Narendra B. Tohan, a physician licensed in Connecticut, in a separate negligence action alleging medical misconduct.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
In 2019, Kayla Suprynowicz and Reilly Flaherty (civil action plaintiffs), who were strangers for most of their lives, discovered through a genetic testing company that they are half siblings.
INSURANCE POLICY
The policy defines “Professional Services” in relevant part as “any professional medical services within the ...
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...
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...
Posted on March 30, 2026 by Barry Zalma
Insurance Fraud, a Way to Reduce Violent Crime
Post number 5313
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 ...
