TRENTON – Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck and Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Tracy M. Thompson today announced that a Hudson County man was indicted for allegedly causing fraudulent automobile insurance applications to be submitted on his behalf in an attempt to avoid paying the policy premiums.

John A. Loor (also known as John A. Loor-Benitez), 33, of Jersey City, was indicted on second-degree Conspiracy, second-degree Insurance Fraud, and two counts of fourth-degree Falsifying or Tampering with Records. The indictment was returned by a State Grand Jury on November 17, 2021.

The State Grand Jury indictment alleges that Loor caused invalid banking account information to be submitted in order to obtain auto insurance identification cards from Progressive Garden State Insurance Company without paying the policy premiums. Between December 28, 2016 and September 9, 2020, Loor allegedly caused 11 fraudulent auto insurance coverage applications to be submitted to Progressive knowing that the insurance company could not secure the payment for its initial premium from the bank account provided because the account had “insufficient” or “not sufficient funds” from which to pay the policy premium.

The indictment alleges Loor falsified or tampered with records when he presented invalid auto insurance identification cards containing false information to the Jersey City Police during motor vehicle accident investigations on April 6, 2019 and September 14, 2019.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, and fourth-degree crimes carry a sentence of up to 18 months in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Deputy Attorney General Leslie-Ann Justus presented the case to the State Grand Jury for the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor under the supervision of Private Insurance Bureau Chief DAG Cheryl Maccaroni, Assistant Bureau Chief DAG Crystal Callahan, and Deputy Insurance Fraud Prosecutor AAG Al Garcia. Detective Jessica Petri and Civil Investigator Marwa Kashef coordinated the investigation with assistance from Civil Investigator Jordan Thompson.

Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Tracy M. Thompson noted that many cases have started with anonymous tips. People who are concerned about insurance cheating and have information about a fraud can report it anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the website at www.NJInsurancefraud.org. State regulations permit a reward to be paid to an eligible person who provides information that leads to an arrest, prosecution, and conviction for insurance fraud.

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