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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February 20, 2024
Insurance Fraud is a Violent Crime

A Murderer Guilty of Killing for Insurance Money Must Serve the Full Sentence 60 Year Sentence

Barry Zalma
Feb 20, 2024

Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/gJAQUGhV, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/g4cCG4S7 and at https://lnkd.in/gJcSNPcW and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 4700 posts.

Post 4738

CHUTZPAH: DEFENDANT KILLS GIRLFRIEND AND TRIES TO COLLECT LIFE INSURANCE

Ronald Epps, a prisoner in federal custody, filed a Motion to Vacate, Set Aside, or Correct his Sentence as well as a filing he called a Motion for Compassionate Release.

In Ronald Epps v. USA, United States District Court, W.D. New York (February 13, 2024) the USDC refused his request.

BACKGROUND

Epps was charged with wire fraud for executing a scheme fraudulently to collect the proceeds of a life insurance policy on the life of murder victim, Ms. Moss; with mail fraud for executing a fraudulent scheme to collect proceeds of a renter’s insurance policy covering the premises, after the premises had twice been damaged by intentionally set fires; and with five specific arson-related offenses in connection with those two fires.

After trial the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts. Epps was sentenced to an aggregate term of 60 years in prison; the final judgment was entered on January 4, 2017.

THE TRIAL EVIDENCE

Evidence about Epps’s actions and the statements involving a so-called “bag of guns” tended to explain why the 9 mm firearm used to shoot Ms. Moss in the back of the head was not recovered.

EPPS IS NOT ENTITLED TO COMPASSIONATE RELEASE

A court may not modify a term of imprisonment once it has been imposed except pursuant to statute. Epps failed to establish-as he must-that extraordinary and compelling reasons warrant reduction of his sentence.

ZALMA OPINION

I have been told by prosecutors over the last 55 years that they don’t want to prosecute insurance fraud because they need the time to prosecute violent criminals. Mr. Epps killed his girlfriend to collect insurance money while simultaneously setting fires to profit from his crimes. Two violent crimes, arson and murder, resulted in a sentence of 60 years only to waste the time of the court with a pro se motion to set aside the judgment because the judge was prejudiced against him, his lawyer was inadequate, and he needed to be released from prison. Fortunately for the public of the USA his ploys failed and he will stay in prison for the next 60 years because insurance fraud is either a violent crime or the reason for two violent crimes.

(c) 2024 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.

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Please tell your friends and colleagues about this blog and the videos and let them subscribe to the blog and the videos.

Subscribe to my substack at https://lnkd.in/gcZKhG6g; Go to Newsbreak.com https://lnkd.in/g8azKc34

Go to X @bzalma; Go to Barry Zalma videos at Rumble.com at https://lnkd.in/gV9QJYH; Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gwEYkxD.

00:08:25
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Videos
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September 18, 2026
Expert May Only Testify to What Experience Supports

Insurance Expert May Not Testify to Speculative and Contains Unsupported Conclusions.

Posted on September 18, 2026 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at and at https://rumble.com/v7fmifw-expert-may-only-testify-to-what-experience-supports.html

In Michele A. Over, and The Estate Of Paul R. Over v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, and State Farm Fire And Casualty Company, Civil Action No. 23-cv-02243-PAB-STV, United States District Court, D. Colorado (September 14, 2026) Michele and Paul Over sued State Farm Fire and State Farm Auto over hail-damage and stolen-vehicle claims.

The operative dispute concerned State Farm Auto’s motion to exclude or limit opinions from plaintiffs’ insurance-industry expert, Aaron Castillo. Castillo.

Law

The proponent of expert testimony must establish by a preponderance of the evidence that an expert is qualified and that the opinions are helpful, sufficiently grounded, and reliably derived and applied. Experience-based opinions must explain how the...

00:03:10
September 17, 2026
Convicted on 29 Tax-Refund-Fraud Counts

150 Months in Prison for Tax Fraud
Post 4846

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Barry Zalma

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/g8rh3JBX and https://lnkd.in/gmkdy-9C, In United States Of America v. Thomas Addaquay, Nos. 25-10609, 25-10611, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (September 9, 2026) the Eleventh Circuit affirmed all challenged convictions, the 150-month aggregate sentence, and the challenged $4,123,474.55 restitution award.

FACTS

In United States Of America v. Thomas Addaquay, United States Of America v. Thomas Addaquay, Nos. 25-10609, 25-10611, United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit (September 9, 2026) the Eleventh Circuit affirmed all challenged convictions, the 150-month aggregate sentence, and the challenged $4,123,474.55 restitution award.
FACTS

Thomas Addaquay controlled United Consolidated Accounting and Business Services (UC), nominally a check-cashing business.

The government proved a three-stage tax-refund scheme that converted the resulting refund checks into usable funds through ...

00:05:23
September 14, 2026
Court Enforces Fifth Amendment & Refuses to Compel Answers

Major Fraud Perpetrator Asserts Fifth Amendment Privilege to Avoid Prosecution

Post 5489

Posted on September 14, 2026 by Barry Zalma

Fraudster Refuses to Answer Questions About His Alleged Fraud

See the full video at https://lnkd.in/gvicAMDr and at https://lnkd.in/gvicAMDr

In Great American Insurance Co. v. Gemstone Property Management, LLC, et al., No. 23-cv-9100 (LJL), United States District Court, S.D. New York (September 8, 2026) Great American Insurance Company alleged that it was defrauded through a scheme in which Subin Associates, LLP recruited individuals to stage construction-site injuries, arranged unnecessary medical treatment and litigation funding, and pursued fraudulent personal-injury claims.

Luis Manuel Garcia Salcedo, resulted in a $6 million settlement. Non-party Jose Hernandez allegedly worked as an assistant manager at Subin, operated Hernandez Associates, and owned litigation-funding companies that shared office space with Subin and provided services to its clients.

After Great American ...

00:05:14
39 minutes ago
Habeas Relief Requires Cognizable Responses to State Defenses

Claims of Res Judicata and Procedural Default Defeats Habeas

Post 5543

Posted on November 13, 2026 by Barry Zalma

A Health Insurance Fraud Conviction Rested On Knowingly Submitting Materially False Or Misleading Claim Information With Specific Intent To Defraud.

A Health Insurance Fraud Conviction Rested On Knowingly Submitting Materially False Or Misleading Claim Information With Specific Intent To Defraud.

In Tariq Mustafa Abdulaziz v. Commissioner Of Correction, No. CV 26-5002432-S, Superior Court of Connecticut, Judicial District of Tolland, Habeas Docket (October 29, 2026) Tariq Mustafa Abdulaziz submitted 114 claims for in-home, face-to-face services purportedly provided to thirty program participants during four one-week periods. The department paid Neurostrategies, Inc., $13,650.

FACTS

The defendant waived his right to a jury trial and elected a trial to the court, D'Addabbo, J. Trial occurred over the course of eight days in August, 2022. The state presented testimony from ten witnesses and introduced thirty-three exhibits into ...

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November 12, 2026
Common Interest Doctrine Protects Confidentiality

Theft of Confidential Information

Post 4581

Posted on November 12, 2026 by Barry Zalma

In People Center, Inc. v. Deel, Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-02576-CRB (LJC), United States District Court, N.D. California (November 7, 2026) People Center, doing business as Rippling, and Deel compete in payroll and human-resource management software. Rippling alleges that Deel and its executives recruited Rippling employee Keith O’Brien, based in Ireland, to disclose confidential information and trade secrets.
THE IRISH SUIT

Rippling sued O’Brien in Ireland and Deel in the United States. O’Brien subsequently retained separate counsel, supplied an affidavit describing the alleged espionage, and entered into a Cooperation Agreement with Rippling. In exchange for his cooperation, Rippling agreed to provide financial assistance, indemnification, and conditional dismissal of the Irish proceedings. The agreement also permitted renewed proceedings or a monetary judgment upon a material breach.

The Irish proceedings against O’Brien were dismissed...

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November 11, 2026
After Dismissal Fraud Victim May Amend Complaint After Dismissal

A Proposed Amended Complaint That Includes New Factual Allegations to Remedy Pleading Deficiencies

Posted on November 11, 2026 by Barry Zalma
After Dismissal Fraud Victim May Amend Complaint After Dismissal
Post 4580

If A Proposed Amendment Is Not Clearly Futile, Then Denial Of Leave To Amend Is Improper

In John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company v. Caring Connections LLC, Arthur Feldheim, and Blime a/k/a Vera Feldheim, Civ. No. 25-7574 (MAS)(JBD), United States District Court, D. New Jersey (November 6, 2026) John Hancock sued Caring Connections LLC, Arthur Feldheim, and Blime a/k/a Vera Feldheim on June 5, 2025, asserting thirteen claims, including fraud, breach of contract, and aiding and abetting fraud.

On March 26, 2026, this Court entered an order granting Caring Connections’ motion to dismiss and granting in part and denying in part the Feldheims’ motion to dismiss. The dismissed claims were dismissed without prejudice, and John Hancock timely sought leave to amend.

They also argued that the New ...

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