N.J. Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

Peter Harvey, First Assistant Attorney General and Director of
the Division of Criminal Justice, announced that a Burlington County, N.J. man has pleaded guilty to attempted theft for reportedly filing false property theft claims totaling more $7,000 with two insurance companies.

Director Harvey identified the defendant as Peter Mangiola of Big Look Train, Medford, Burlington County. Mangiola pled guilty to an accusation which charged attempted theft by deception (3rd degree) before Burlington County Superior Court Judge Thomas Smith, Jr. A third degree crime carries a sentence of up to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

Mangiola may also face a civil insurance fraud fine pursuant to the
Insurance Fraud Prevention Act. Mangiola is scheduled to appear before Judge Smith on May 2 for sentencing.

At the guilty plea hearing, Mangiola reportedly admitted that on Oct. 17, 1996, he fraudulently reported to General Accident Insurance Company that several items, including a Nikon camera and a pair of
Ray Ban sunglasses, had been stolen from his automobile. Mangiola reportedly submitted two fraudulent credit card receipts as proof of the value of the camera and sunglasses. General Accident paid the claim in the amount of $1,277.91.

Mangiola also reportedly admitted that on May 5, 1999, he submitted the same two fraudulent receipts to Hanover Insurance Company, reporting that the those items, along with clothing and computer equipment valued at $5,921.80, were stolen from his car. Hanover denied the claim and referred the case to the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

The accusation charging Mangiola was filed by the Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor which investigates and prosecutes civil and criminal insurance fraud cases.