MINEOLA, NY — A Queens man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly attempting to swindle an elderly Nassau County couple out of $129,000 by drastically inflating a roofing repair quote and submitting a fake insurance claim approval, authorities said Monday.
Key Points
- Clifford Whitaker allegedly increased a roofing estimate from $2,500 to $129,000 in five days.
- He is accused of forging an insurance document to secure upfront payment from the victims.
- Whitaker faces up to 7 years in prison if convicted and was ordered to surrender his passport.
Clifford Whitaker, 43, president of New Dawn Construction, was arraigned on charges including Insurance Fraud in the Second Degree, Attempted Grand Larceny, Scheme to Defraud, and Forgery. He pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $50,000 cash or higher bond options.
According to Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, Whitaker targeted an 80-year-old man and his 71-year-old wife in Franklin Square on March 8, claiming their roof had minor damage and quoting them $2,500. Over five days, he allegedly returned with a second suspect, citing additional damage and raising the cost to $129,000.
Forged insurance approval sent to victims
On March 10, Whitaker allegedly requested the couple’s email address to connect them with a supposed Liberty Mutual representative. The victims soon received a document falsely appearing to authorize the insurance claim.
Investigators confirmed that no legitimate insurance claim was filed and that the document was a forgery. The second individual allegedly involved has not been apprehended.
Ongoing investigation and prosecution
Whitaker was arrested on April 2 by Nassau County Police’s Fifth Squad. The case is being prosecuted by the Major Financial Frauds Bureau, with Assistant District Attorney Angelo Macaluso leading the case.
“This defendant allegedly took advantage of a trusting elderly couple,” said DA Donnelly, warning residents to be wary of unsolicited repair offers.
