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ZIFL-04-01-2024 Volume 28, Number 7
Post 4766
Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter (ZIFL) continues its 28th 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.
This month's issue contains multiple articles for the insurance fraud professional and the insurance claims professional. The current issue can be read in full at https://lnkd.in/gBj_3yVw and includes the following articles:
Prison Employee Commits a Crime She Was Employed to Prevent
GUILTY OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION FRAUD
On January 10, 2022, defendant Tiffinie Marvell Jones was convicted by a jury of one count of insurance fraud. Jones filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied. On appeal, Jones argued that there was insufficient evidence to support the verdict, that her trial counsel provided ineffective assistance, and that the trial court abused its discretion when it denied her motion for a new trial.
In The People v. Tiffinie Marvell Jones, F085205, California Court of Appeals, Fifth District (March 14, 2024) the Court of Appeals affirmed her conviction.
Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ZIFL-04-01-2024-1.pdf.
More McClenny Moseley & Associates Issues
This is ZIFL’s twenty fifth 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.
From the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
The Top 5 Covid-19 Scams
1 Fake "corona" insurance
2 Cancelled health insurance
3 corona medicines, tests
4 Senior Scams
5 Bogus Travel Insurance
Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ZIFL-04-01-2024-1.pdf.
Health Insurance Fraud Convictions
Physician Pays $95,000 to Resolve Allegations of Genetic Testing Fraud
Nishi Patel, MD, a physician who received his medical training at Drexel University, will pay $95,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act by ordering medically unnecessary genetic testing for Medicare beneficiaries.
Read the full article including dozens of convictions and the full issue of ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ZIFL-04-01-2024-1.pdf.
New Book Now Available from Barry Zalma
Property Investigation Checklists: Uncovering Insurance Fraud, 14th Edition, the newest book joins other insurance, insurance claims, insurance fraud, and insurance law books by Barry Zalma all available at the Insurance Claims Library – https://zalma.com/blog/insurance-claims-library/
Other Insurance Fraud Convictions
Public Insurance Adjuster Sentenced to Three Years in Prison After Stealing $108k From Homeowners,
Stephen E. Chastain, 62, represented a Gwinnett County couple as their insurance adjustor after their house burned in 2019, according to the Gwinnett County district attorney. According to the district attorney, it was stipulated that Chastain would take 15% of the settlement as his fee. The district attorney said the company “did very little work, and the victims never saw the entirety of their insurance settlement.”
Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL at http://zalma.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/ZIFL-04-01-2024-1.pdf.
SOFT FRAUD
How Most Get Away With Insurance Fraud
For reasons known only to governmental entities some insist on categorizing fraud into both “hard” and “soft” fraud. By so doing the governmental entities that so categorize fraud make one type of fraud less heinous and less criminal than the other. Fraud, whether categorized “soft” or “hard,” are criminal and if a person is tried and convicted of fraud both can be sent to jail for the same amount of time.
The types of insurance fraud some call “soft fraud” are found in every type of claim presented to an insurer.
Soft fraud, which is sometimes called opportunity fraud, occurs when a policyholder or claimant exaggerates a legitimate claim.... According to the Insurance Research Council, soft fraud is far more frequent than hard fraud. Because of the frequency of soft fraud, it adds more to overall claims cost than hard fraud does.
Soft fraud occurs when a policyholder exaggerates an otherwise legitimate claim or when an individual applies for an insurance policy and lies about certain conditions or circumstances to lower the policy’s premium.
Adapted from my Book, “Insurance Fraud – Second Edition” Available as a Kindle book; Available as a Hardcover; Available as a Paperback
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://podcastrs.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/
Subscribe to Excellence in Claims Handling at https://lnkd.in/gNm9EWKJ.
Go to the Insurance Claims Library – https://lnkd.in/gKCTg53
Adapted from my Book, “Insurance Fraud – Second Edition” Available at amazon.com.
Read the full article and the full issue of ZIFL at https://lnkd.in/gBj_3yVw.
Chutzpah: After Criminal Prosecution Defendant Sues USA
Post 5164
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Dr. Segun Patrick Adeoye, a medical doctor, filed a lawsuit against the United States of America, seeking damages for alleged violations during his criminal prosecution. He was acquitted by a jury but claims to have suffered significant harm, including financial losses, damage to his professional reputation, and personal distress.
In Dr. Segun Patrick Adeoye v. The United States Of America, Civil Action No. 4:25-cv-83, United States District Court, E.D. Texas, Sherman Division (July 23, 2025) the USDC dismissed Adeoye’s suit.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Dr. Adeoye was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The indictment alleged that he and his co-conspirators obtained at least seventeen million dollars through various fraudulent schemes. Despite being acquitted, Dr. Adeoye claims that his ...
Payment of Appraisal Award Defeats Claim of Bad Faith
Post 5163
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Hurricane Damage to Dwelling Established by Appraisal Award
In Homeowners Of America Insurance Company v. Emilio Menchaca, No. 01-23-00633-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (July 31, 2025) after a hurricane Homeowners of America Insurance Company (“HAIC”) estimated that the cost of covered repair to Menchaca’s house was $3,688.54, which was less than his deductible, and therefore no payment would be made.
FACTS
After Menchaca retained counsel HAIC advised that, under the terms of the policy, Menchaca was required to first invoke the appraisal process prior to filing suit, and that HAIC reserved the right to request that Menchaca and any adjuster hired on his behalf submit to an Examination Under Oath (“EUO”).
On August 23, 2018, Menchaca’s counsel ...
Payment of Appraisal Award Defeats Claim of Bad Faith
Post 5163
Read the full article at https://lnkd.in/dNpKKcYx, see the full video at https://lnkd.in/dNgwRP8q and at https://lnkd.in/dA9dvd-D, and at https://zalma.com/blog plus more than 5150 posts.
Hurricane Damage to Dwelling Established by Appraisal Award
In Homeowners Of America Insurance Company v. Emilio Menchaca, No. 01-23-00633-CV, Court of Appeals of Texas, First District (July 31, 2025) after a hurricane Homeowners of America Insurance Company (“HAIC”) estimated that the cost of covered repair to Menchaca’s house was $3,688.54, which was less than his deductible, and therefore no payment would be made.
FACTS
After Menchaca retained counsel HAIC advised that, under the terms of the policy, Menchaca was required to first invoke the appraisal process prior to filing suit, and that HAIC reserved the right to request that Menchaca and any adjuster hired on his behalf submit to an Examination Under Oath (“EUO”).
On August 23, 2018, Menchaca’s counsel ...
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 ...
