Trenton, NJ – Four individuals from New Jersey and New York have been indicted for allegedly orchestrating a fraudulent travel insurance scheme that involved fake trips, fabricated medical emergencies, and falsified records, according to Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice.
Agustin Matos, 40, of North Haledon; Kenia Ivonne Vasquez, 44, of the Bronx; Keyra Carla Liriano, 45, of Fort Lee; and Patricio Arturo Alfonso, 46, also of Fort Lee, were charged in a state grand jury indictment returned on December 5. Each faces counts of second-degree conspiracy and insurance fraud, third-degree attempted theft by deception, impersonation, and falsifying records. Liriano faces an additional count of theft by deception.
Prosecutors allege that between April 2022 and August 2023, the defendants opened multiple travel insurance policies from different carriers for the same trips, using false identities and shared financial information. They then filed claims asserting they had been hospitalized abroad, submitting falsified records and fabricated medical bills to seek reimbursement for expenses that never occurred.
According to investigators, the group targeted insurers across Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic counties, as well as in New York. The Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) began its investigation after a referral from American International Group’s Special Investigation Unit, which flagged the suspicious pattern of identical claims being submitted to multiple carriers.
Investigators determined the defendants never traveled overseas or received any medical treatment as claimed. The allegedly fraudulent documentation included altered invoices, fabricated hospital forms, and falsified certifications denying any overlapping coverage. While most claims were denied, Liriano allegedly succeeded in collecting $14,835 in payouts from two insurers. In total, prosecutors say the defendants attempted to defraud insurance companies of more than $250,000.
Attorney General Platkin said the group “came up with a simple—yet potentially lucrative—scam” by exploiting the travel insurance system for personal gain. DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton emphasized that travel insurance “exists for protection, not profit,” while Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Al Garcia credited close collaboration with the insurance industry for bringing the scheme to light.
Deputy Attorney General Jana Robinson is leading the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant Bureau Chief Evgeniya Sitnikova and Bureau Chief Crystal Callahan. The case was investigated by Detective Jessica Petri with oversight from senior investigators in OIFP.
If convicted, the defendants face potential prison terms ranging from 18 months to 10 years and fines of up to $150,000, depending on the degree of each offense. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
