TRENTON - Vaughn L. McKoy, Director, Division of Criminal Justice, announced that a PA man has been sentenced to a year in the Monmouth County jail for his role in arranging a fake “jump in” motor vehicle accident in order to fraudulently obtain insurance settlement monies.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown, David Scott, 26, formerly of Michener Avenue, Phila., PA and currently residing in Jamison, PA, was sentenced by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Ira E. Kreizman to 364 days in the Monmouth County Jail. Scott was also ordered to serve three years probation. Scott was sentenced pursuant to his guilty plea to second degree charges of conspiracy and Health Care Claims Fraud.

Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Gooden-Brown said that Scott, along with co-defendants Nicole A. Barker, 20, Berkshire Place, Irvington, Essex County and Charles Gladney, 40, Rorer Street, Phila., PA, were charged via a State Grand Jury indictment returned on March 2, 2004. Barker and Gladney were charged with second degree conspiracy to commit Health Care Claims fraud. The cases against Barker and Gladney are pending in Monmouth County Superior Court.

Barker pled guilty to third degree conspiracy on Sept. 27 before Judge Kreizman and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 17. In pleading guilty, Scott, identified as Barker’s ex-boyfriend, admitted that he conspired with Barker and Gladney to make it appear to the police and the insurance company that he (Scott) was a passenger in Barker’s car after it had been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Phila. on March 17, 2002. In fact, Scott was not a passenger in the vehicle and only arrived at the accident after being contacted by Barker. Gladney, a Phila. tow truck driver, responded to the accident.

The investigation determined that Gladney agreed to support Scott’s claim that he was a passenger in the vehicle in exchange for receiving a 20 percent “fee” on the total cost of repairs to the vehicle. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Scott obtained nearly $7,000 in medical care, including more than 20 chiropractic treatments. The PIP and related medical bills were submitted to the Prudential Insurance Company for payment. Suspecting a potential fraud, Prudential forwarded the case to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor for investigation.

State Investigator Lisa Shea and Deputy Attorney General Philip J. Mogavero were assigned to the investigation. DAG Mogavero represented the Division of Criminal Justice - Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the sentencing.

“This is a classic ‘jump in’ insurance fraud case where two persons claimed to be injured in a car accident when at least one was not even a passenger in the vehicle,” Fraud Prosecutor Gooden-Brown said. “The Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor is committed to protecting New Jersey’s citizens from unscrupulous acts by combating insurance fraud in whatever form it takes.”

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