TRENTON
- Division of Criminal Justice Director
Vaughn L. McKoy announced that a Hudson
County man has pleaded guilty to charges
that he participated in a North Jersey-based
stolen automobile ring that specialized
in “give up” schemes which
resulted in the filing of fraudulent stolen
car claims with insurance companies. The
investigation is ongoing and additional
arrests and charges are anticipated.
According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
Greta Gooden Brown, Elias Retamar, 32,
Durham Avenue, North Bergen, Hudson County,
pled guilty before Hudson County Superior
Court Judge Elaine L. Davis to a criminal
Accusation which charged him with attempted
theft by deception and three counts of
receiving stolen property (3rd degree).
Each of the third degree charges carry
a maximum penalty of up to five years
in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Retamar may also face civil insurance
fraud fines pursuant to the civil Insurance
Fraud Prevention Act. The guilty plea
was entered on April 16. Retamar is scheduled
to appear before Judge Davis on June 18
for sentencing.
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Gooden Brown
noted that in pleading guilty to the attempted
theft charge, Retamar admitted that between
Oct. 24, 2002 and Nov. 6, 2003, that he
falsely reported his 2000 Lexus stolen
to the North Bergen Police Department.
Retamar also submitted a false automobile
insurance claim to the New Jersey Cure
Insurance Company regarding the “stolen”
Lexus. Investigation by the Division of
Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor determined that Retamar
had secreted the Lexus in a Weehawkin
garage in order to conceal the vehicle
from authorities during the pendancy of
the insurance company review.
Retamar also pleaded guilty to three counts
of receiving stolen property, admitting
to knowingly receiving three stolen vehicles
- a 2003 Honda Acura, a 2002 Toyota Camry,
and a 2001 Ford Mustang GT convertible.
Retamar admitted that he was in the business
of obtaining stolen vehicles and then
“retagging” the vehicles for
sale on the street. “Retagging”
means that the Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) is replaced with a different
VIN number so as to conceal the identity
and ownership of the stolen car.
The investigation is being conducted by
the Division of Criminal Justice - Office
of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor which investigates
and prosecutes civil and criminal insurance
fraud cases. State Investigators Jarek
Pyrzanowski and Jeffrey Lorman, Civil
Investigator David Whitaker, and Deputy
Attorney General Jacqueline D. Smith are
assigned to the investigation. DAG Smith
represented the Division of Criminal Justice
- Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor
at the guilty plea hearing. The investigation
received assistance from the North Bergen
Police Department Street Crimes/Auto Theft
Unit.
"Phony automobile insurance theft
claims resulting from automobile "give
up" schemes and stolen cars remains
a priority for the Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor," said Prosecutor
Gooden Brown. "It is clear that too
many people are willing to lie to government
officials and to insurance companies claiming
that their car were stolen in order to
avoid repair bills or expensive end-of-lease
payments. The Office of Insurance Fraud
Prosecutor will continue to investigate
and prosecute automobile "give up"
and theft cases."
Noting that some important cases have
begun with anonymous tips from the public,
Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Gooden Brown
encouraged anyone with information about
insurance fraud to contact the Division
of Criminal Justice - Office of Insurance
Fraud Prosecutor’s toll-free hotline
at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or
to visit the insurance fraud web site
at www.NJInsurancefraud.org
.
