N.J. Man Admits Role in Auto Fraud Scheme

New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Director Vaughn McKoy announced that a Perth Amboy man has been ordered to pay a New Jersey insurance company $15,000 in restitution for his participation in an automobile insurance “give up” scheme.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden-Brown, Francisco J. Caba, 36, of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, was sentenced on Oct. 29 by Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Frederick DeVesa to pay $15,000 in restitution and to serve five years probation after pleading guilty to charges contained in a Middlesex County Grand Jury indictment filed by the Division of Criminal Justice -Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

In pleading guilty on July 30, Caba reportedly admitted that he, along with co-defendant Geuris Valdez-Fernandez, 35, of Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, submitted a phony automobile insurance theft claim to The Newark Insurance Company – Robert Plan of New Jersey Corporation.

The Division of Criminal Justice – Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor investigation determined that Caba took Valdez-Fernandez’s 1998 Toyota Camry, reported the car stolen to the NYPD, and submitted a phony automobile theft claim to The Newark Insurance Company. Newark Insurance Company paid $14,234 to Toyota Financial Services, the company that financed Valdez-Fernandez’ car loan, as a result of the fraudulent claim. The investigation determined that Caba, as part of the conspiracy, turned the car over a third individual who was working undercover for investigators from the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

On Sept. 26, 2002, Valdez-Fernandez was charged in connecting with this automobile insurance “give-up” conspiracy. He pleaded guilty and was entered into the Pre-trial Intervention (PTI) Program on March 14, 2003.