The Quality of Insurance Fraud Perpetrators is Declining
Post 5162
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Insured Admits Fake Theft and Shows Allegedly Stolen Item to Insurance Investigator
Christie Paolino an investigator for Westfield Insurance Company testified that appellant Matthew McGrath reported the theft of his vehicle and equipment to Westfield, including the VIN for the GMC truck. Paolino met with McGrath at his residence in Cleveland. She asked if they could move to a quieter spot such as the backyard. As they walked up the driveway towards the backyard, Paolino noticed “two snowplows sitting in the driveway” and recognized one as the snowplow “that he had reported stolen.” She asked appellant “if that was, in fact, the snowplow,” and he admitting to the falsity of his claim he responded that it was.
In STATE OF OHIO v. MATTHEW MCGRATH, 2025-Ohio-2600, No. 114758, Court of Appeals of Ohio, Eighth District, Cuyahoga (July 24, 2025) affirmed the trial court verdict finding him guilty at trial.
THE TRIAL
McGrath waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead for a bench trial held on August 26 and 27, 2024. The state presented five witnesses. The evidence showed that on June 21, 2023, McGrath reported his truck, plow, salt spreader, and crack filler stolen to the University Heights Police, an interaction documented on body camera. McGrath was found guilty at trial of falsification, attempted grand theft, and insurance fraud. On January 13, 2025, he was sentenced to the minimal one year of community-control sanctions.
The appellate court found no merit to his appeal and affirmed the trial court’s decision.
ANALYSIS
An appellate court views the evidence in a light most favorable to the prosecution to determine whether any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Appellate courts are not to assess whether the State’s evidence is to be believed, but whether, if believed, was the evidence against a defendant sufficient to support a conviction. In essence, sufficiency is a test of adequacy. Whether the evidence is legally sufficient to sustain a verdict is a question of law.
The Court of Appeals concluded that the state’s evidence was sufficient to support the trial court’s verdicts because the evidence was sufficient to prove that McGrath knowingly made false statements and that his purpose was to commit or facilitate a theft offense, and that he was thereby attempting, by deception, to knowingly deprive his insurer of a sum exceeding $7,500.
The evidence was sufficient to establish that appellant’s statements reporting the theft of his vehicle were false and that appellant knew it.
To warrant reversal from a bench trial under a manifest weight of the evidence claim, the Court of Appeals must review the entire record, weigh the evidence and all reasonable inferences, consider the credibility of witnesses and determine whether in resolving conflicts in evidence, the trial court clearly lost its way and created such a manifest miscarriage of justice that the judgment must be reversed, and a new trial ordered.
Here, the State introduced substantial evidence to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that appellant committed the offenses of falsification and attempted grand theft. He initiated a claim with Westfield Insurance for the lost property. The testimony and the State’s exhibits established that appellant’s report was false and that he made the deceptive report in a thwarted effort to collect insurance proceeds from Westfield. The judgment was affirmed.
ZALMA OPINION
It seems people believe that insurance fraud is so easy that anyone can do it and profit from the fraud with ease. Mr. McGrath was a believer but was so stupid as to invite an investigator from his insurance company into his back yard where the allegedly stolen property was parked and admitted it was the same item that was the subject of his claim, admitting to the fraud. With such damning evidence McGrath, who received a light sentence and no jail time, had the unmitigated gall to appeal the verdict and waste the time of the Court of Appeals affirming the trial court’s verdict.
(c) 2025 Barry Zalma & ClaimSchool, Inc.
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Convicted Criminal Seeks to Compel Receiver to Protect his Assets
Post number 5291
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The Work of a Court Appointed Receiver is Constitutionally Protected
In Simon Semaan et al. v. Robert P. Mosier et al., G064385, California Court of Appeals, Fourth District, Third Division (February 6, 2026) the Court of Appeals applied the California anti-SLAPP statute which protects defendants from meritless lawsuits arising from constitutionally protected activities, including those performed in official capacities. The court also considered the doctrine of quasi-judicial immunity, which shields court-appointed receivers from liability for discretionary acts performed within their official duties.
Facts
In September 2021, the State of California filed felony charges against Simon Semaan, alleging violations of Insurance Code section 11760(a) for making...
When There are Two Different Other Insurance Clauses They Eliminate Each Other and Both Insurers Owe Indemnity Equally
Post number 5289
In Great West Casualty Co. v. Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Co., and Conserv FS, Inc., and Timothy A. Brennan, as Administrator of the Estate of Pat- rick J. Brennan, deceased, Nos. 24-1258, 24-1259, United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit (February 11, 2026) the USCA was required to resolve a dispute that arose when a tractor-trailer operated by Robert D. Fisher (agent of Deerpass Farms Trucking, LLC-II) was involved in a side-impact collision with an SUV driven by Patrick J. Brennan, resulting in Brennan’s death.
Facts
Deerpass Trucking, an interstate motor carrier, leased the tractor from Deerpass Farms Services, LLC, and hauled cargo for Conserv FS, Inc. under a trailer interchange agreement. The tractor was insured by Great West Casualty Company with a $1 million policy limit, while the trailer was insured by Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company with a $2 million ...
Opiod Producer Seeks Indemnity from CGL Insurers
Post number 5288
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Insurers Exclude Damages Due to Insured’s Products
In Matthew Dundon, As The Trustee Of The Endo General Unsecured Creditors’ Trust v. ACE Property And Casualty Insurance Company, et al., Civil Action No. 24-4221, United States District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania (February 10, 2026) Matthew Dundon, trustee of the Endo General Unsecured Creditors’ Trust, sued multiple commercial general liability (CGL) insurers for coverage of opioid-related litigation involving Endo International PLC a pharmaceutical manufacturer.
KEY FACTS
Beginning as early as 2014, thousands of opioid suits were filed by governments, third parties, and individuals alleging harms tied to opioid manufacturing and marketing.
Bankruptcy & Settlements
Endo filed Chapter 11 in August 2022; before bankruptcy it ...
Passover for Americans
Posted on February 19, 2026 by Barry Zalma
“The Passover Seder For Americans”
For more than 3,000 years Jewish fathers have told the story of the Exodus of the enslaved Jews from Egypt. Telling the story has been required of all Jewish fathers. Americans, who have lived in North America for more than 300 years have become Americans and many have lost the ability to read, write and understand the Hebrew language in which the story of Passover was first told in the Torah. Passover is one of the many holidays Jewish People celebrate to help them remember the importance of G_d in their lives. We see the animals, the oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the rain, sun, the planets, the stars, and the people and wonder how did all these wonderful things come into being. Jews believe the force we call G_d created the entire universe and everything in it. Jews feel G_d is all seeing and knowing and although we can’t see Him, He is everywhere and in everyone.We understand...
Passover for Americans
Posted on February 19, 2026 by Barry Zalma
Read the full article at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/passover-americans-barry-zalma-esq-cfe-5vgkc.
“The Passover Seder For Americans”
For more than 3,000 years Jewish fathers have told the story of the Exodus of the enslaved Jews from Egypt. Telling the story has been required of all Jewish fathers. Americans, who have lived in North America for more than 300 years have become Americans and many have lostthe ability to read, write and understand the Hebrew language in which the story of Passover was first told in the Torah.
Passover is one of the many holidays Jewish People celebrate to help them remember the importance of G_d in their lives. We see the animals, the oceans, the rivers, the mountains, the rain, sun, the planets, the stars, and the people and ...
You Get What You Pay For – Less Coverage Means Lower Premium
Post number 5275
Posted on January 30, 2026 by Barry Zalma
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When Experts for Both Sides Agree That Two Causes Concur to Cause a Wall to Collapse Exclusion Applies
In Lido Hospitality, Inc. v. AIX Specialty Insurance Company, No. 1-24-1465, 2026 IL App (1st) 241465-U, Court of Appeals of Illinois (January 27, 2026) resolved the effect of an anti-concurrent cause exclusion to a loss with more than one cause.
Facts and Background
Lido Hospitality, Inc. operates the Lido Motel in Franklin Park, Illinois. In November 2020, a windstorm caused one of the motel’s brick veneer walls to collapse. At the time, Lido was insured under a policy issued by AIX Specialty Insurance Company which provided coverage for windstorm damage. However, the policy contained an exclusion for any loss or damage directly or indirectly resulting from ...
