Prosecutors say a Middlesex County man submitted a fraudulent claim for damage that existed before he purchased the insurance policy and used a fake repair invoice to support the claim.
TRENTON — An East Brunswick business owner has been convicted of insurance fraud and related offenses after prosecutors proved he attempted to collect more than $28,000 through a fraudulent equipment damage claim.
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and the New Jersey Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor announced that Andre Love, 49, of East Brunswick, was found guilty following a four-day trial in Middlesex County Superior Court.
Love was convicted of third-degree insurance fraud, attempted theft by deception, and fourth-degree falsifying records before Superior Court Judge Robert J. Jones.
Fraud claim involved construction equipment
According to trial evidence and court documents, Love, the owner of Love’s Tree Removal, submitted an insurance claim to Markel Insurance for damage to a 1995 Caterpillar Wheel Loader.
Prosecutors said Love purchased the insurance policy in September 2020 and later filed a claim on May 28, 2021. He alleged that an employee had damaged the machine two days before the claim was submitted.
On June 9, 2021, Love provided the insurer with a repair invoice from Monroe Repairs LLC that included a meter reading and a repair estimate exceeding $28,000.
Investigation uncovered prior damage
The investigation revealed that Love had obtained an estimate for the same transmission damage on the same piece of equipment in April 2020, several months before purchasing the insurance policy and more than a year before filing the claim.
According to prosecutors, the April 2020 estimate contained the same meter reading and identical repair estimate amount that later appeared in the documents submitted to the insurance company.
Investigators also determined that Monroe Repairs LLC did not inspect the equipment for the claimed repairs and did not create the invoice Love submitted to support the claim.
Officials highlight impact of fraud
“Insurance exists to protect individuals and businesses from legitimate losses, not to provide a means for people to profit through deception,” Attorney General Davenport said.
“When fraudsters try to take more than their fair share by seeking benefits to which they are not entitled, we all stand to lose. Holding fraudsters accountable helps protect consumers, businesses, and honest policyholders, while supporting broader efforts to promote affordability for New Jersey residents and businesses.”
Acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Bernard Cooney said the case began after the insurance company detected irregularities in the claim.
“Our office works closely with insurance companies to make sure this kind of fraud is detected quickly and dealt with appropriately,” Cooney said. “In this case, the insurer recognized something was amiss with the claim filed by the defendant, and referred the matter to us for investigation.”
“This case demonstrates how collaboration between insurers and OIFP can help identify fraud, protect the integrity of the insurance system, and hold offenders accountable,” he added.
Investigation and prosecution
The case was investigated by Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor detectives Brianna Rafferty and Nicholas Esposito, with assistance from analyst Bethany Schussler.
Deputy Attorneys General Jana Robinson and Vladimir D’Argenio prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.
Sentencing information was not immediately released.
