A 79-year-old Ocean City property owner claimed his 12th Street home sustained more than $75,000 worth of damage in Superstorm Sandy.
But Dominic Rita, of Southampton, N.J., received no reimbursement. Instead, he was arrested last week for filing a fraudulent insurance claim, according to Cape May County Prosecutor Robert L. Taylor.
An investigation revealed that the property did not sustain the damage Rita reported, Taylor said.
Rita faces charges of third-degree insurance fraud, second-degree theft by deception, third-degree hindering apprehension and fourth-degree providing false statements to law enforcement. Rita was released on a summons.
The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Economics Crime Unit and the Special Investigation Unit of Selective Insurance announced the arrest today with a warning that persons convicted of a second degree crime are subject to a term of imprisonment of 5 to 10 years in prison; persons convicted of a third degree crime are subject to a term of imprisonment of 3 to 5 years. Taylor said his office will continue to work closely with insurance companies to identify fraudulent insurance claims.
He urges citizens to report insurance fraud or any information regarding illegal activity anonymously through the Cape May County Sheriffs Tip Line at cmcsheriff.net or through the Cape May County Crime Stoppers at 609-465-2800 or 877-465-2801, or Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-1135.
