A 48-year-old Clementon resident was arrested and charged with creating and submitting phony claims, approving them himself, and directing nearly $200,000 in payments to bank accounts he controlled, authorities announced Thursday, Oct. 2.
While working as a property claims adjuster at Assurance Insurance, John Philbin created 11 fictitious claim files under false identities, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. He also fabricated vendor estimates and invoices purporting to reflect emergency mitigation or restoration work by non-existent companies. Searches of New Jersey business records revealed no filings or registrations for those entities.
Philbin assigned the claims to himself and approved the claims under his individual authority, Platkin said. He caused insurer funds to be issued for work that never occurred, directing the proceeds to himself for his benefit, Platkin said. To facilitate and conceal the scheme, Philbin used Post Office boxes in Clementon and Blackwood, Platkin said. Internal audit logs and document metadata bearing Philbin’s unique identifier linked him to the creation and approval of the fabricated documents.
The insurer paid out approximately $191,163 on these fictitious claims, Platkin said. Philbin is charged with insurance fraud and theft by deception, Platkin said.
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