April 12, 2010
Office of The Attorney General
– Paula T. Dow, Attorney General
Division of Criminal Justice
– Stephen J. Taylor, Director
Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
– Riza Dagli, Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Media Inquiries-
609-292-4791
Citizen Inquiries-
609-292-4925
Passaic County Man Charged
in Automobile “Give Up” Scheme
TRENTON – Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced that a Passaic County man has been indicted for allegedly “giving up” his car, falsely reporting it stolen, and fraudulently receiving monetary compensation from his insurance company as a result.
According to Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Riza Dagli, Jacek R. Maslowski, 31, of Hewitt, was charged late Friday (April 9) with second-degree insurance fraud, third-degree theft by deception, third-degree tampering with public records or information and fourth-degree falsifying records.
The Union County grand jury indictment alleges that between May 28 and July 21, 2008,
Maslowski committed insurance fraud by reporting that his 2003 Nissan Frontier had been stolen at the Wayne Town Center/Willowbrook Mall, knowing that it had not been stolen. It is alleged that Maslowski had sold the vehicle to an undercover law enforcement officer prior to reporting it stolen. It is alleged that Maslowski falsely filed an Affidavit of Vehicle Theft to the Allstate Insurance Company. An investigation by the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor determined that Maslowski unlawfully obtained $10,000 from Allstate for the purported theft of the Frontier as a result of the alleged fraud.
Detective Jarek Pyrzanowski and Deputy Attorney General John J. Higgins were assigned to the investigation. Deputy Attorney General Higgins presented the case to the Union County grand jury. Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Dagli thanked the Wayne Police Department and the Allstate Insurance Company for their assistance in the investigation.
The indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of $150,000, while third degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of five years in state prison and a criminal fine of $15,000. Fourth-degree crimes carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in state prison and a criminal fine of $10,000.
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