South Florida Criminal Attorneys Blog
In a news release from the Department of Insurance, former full-time North Carolina resident Nathan Daniel Cooperman, 40, was charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of obtaining property by false pretense in an announcement made by Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin detailed at the time of Cooperman’s arrest in Manhattan on January 2nd.
It is alleged that Cooperman, who presently resides at 218 First Ave., New York, N.Y, submitted a claim to the Travelers Claims Hartford Auto Insurance Company on Aug. 25, 2007, claiming that an engagement ring valued at $50,000 was one of the articles stolen in the course of a burglary of his Durham, North Carolina home. Cooperman still owns and maintains the property according to investigators from the Department of Insurance.
Travelers settled the claim for just under the insured assessment of $50, 000, which was wholly paid to Cooperman. However, as the investigation continued investigators received what became a crucial lead relayed by Cooperman’s ex-fiancé that the claim was fabricated and she still had the ring in her possession. Investigators now allege that the ring was never stolen and Cooperman deliberately lied and made false and fraudulent claims to acquire the reimbursement for the insured value of the ring. Presently, no charges have been filed against Cooperman’s ex-fiancé and it hasn’t been affirmed whether she was an informed party to the false claim or not. But since it was she that informed the Department of Insurance of the alleged fraud it is has been assumed that she had no knowledge of the false claim at the time of its initiation. At this time, the name of Cooperman’s ex-fiancé has not been released.
Cooperman is now being detained by the New York City Police Department as he awaits extradition to North Carolina to face these charges and stand trial. It has not been specified if his ex-fiancé will testify against him.
Our search of the traditional informational criminal databases and public records Websites has not found any prior charges or convictions against Cooperman.
The Department of Insurance maintains a staff of 20 affirmed state law enforcement officers devoted to investigating and prosecuting assertions of insurance fraud as well as and bail bonding fraud. Since the time that Wayne Goodwin began his term as Insurance Commissioner in 2009, criminal investigators have established in excess of 14,000 grievances, resulting in more than 600 arrests, 300 convictions of a criminal nature, and there are presently more than 100 court cases awaiting prosecution. These efforts have provided more than $48 million in repayment and monetary retrievals for the victims.
It is estimated that 10 cents of every dollar paid in insurance premiums is responsible for the payment of falsified claims. If you feel you have knowledge and would like to report suspected fraudulent activity of this nature, please call the Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840. All callers may remain anonymous. Information for reporting false claims can also be found at their Website, located at: http://www.ncdoi.com
In cases such as this one it is crucial to contact a reputable Criminal Defense lawyer well-informed in insurance fraud. If you, or a friend or relative is charged with the crime of insurance fraud an experienced defense attorney will be well versed in the statutes and laws associated with the crime and will be able to construct a proper defense and also be comfortable arguing the case in Court if it comes to that.
If you are looking for a criminal defense lawyer well-versed in insurance fraud in the Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or West Palm Beach area, Mr. Cohen’s office can provide you with the skilled representation you need.
Mr. Cohen is a board certified criminal trial lawyer.
He is rated AV by Martindale Hubbel (pre-eminent) and a “Super Lawyer” recognized as being in the top 5% of his specialized field (criminal trial law) among Florida lawyers. He is considered a specialist by the Florida Bar in his field. Mr. Cohen has tried scores of cases over his 35 year career and is a member of the Florida and New York Bars. His law firm is located in Fort Lauderdale, and he practices there, West Palm Beach and Miami, among other Florida counties. He is also admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh and Second Circuit.