LSP fraud arrests include Franklinton woman
Published 8:59 am Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Troopers assigned to the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud Unit brought three separate criminal cases to conclusion last week, and a Franklinton woman was among those arrested.
The investigations covered three different parishes.
The Insurance Fraud Unit is responsible for investigating referrals of suspected fraudulent insurance acts and promoting awareness of insurance fraud throughout the state.
Wendy Gregorio, 40, of Franklinton, was arrested on July 27 following an investigation initiated from a complaint received through the Department of Children and Family Services alleging that she misrepresented her family’s income in order to receive food stamp assistance.
The investigation revealed that for a nearly three-year period, Gregorio received more than $17,000 in supplemental nutrition assistance benefits that she was not entitled to, according to the LSP. Gregorio was booked into the Washington Parish Jail.
Earlier in the week, the LSPIFU made arrests in two other fraud cases.
Frank Gambino, 41, and his wife, Madeline Gambino, 35, both of Folsom, were arrested on charges of insurance fraud on July 24 after an investigation into a complaint received by the State Farm Insurance Company.
That investigation revealed that in July of 2011, the Gambinos submitted a theft loss claim for their 2009 Ford Flex after alleging that the vehicle had been stolen from the French Quarter in New Orleans, according to the LSP. Shortly after the vehicle was reported to the New Orleans Police Department as stolen, it was discovered burned and abandoned in New Orleans East.
Through investigative efforts, troopers discovered that the Gambinos had not been in the French Quarter on the night of the alleged theft and in fact had been in New Orleans East where the vehicle was later recovered, according to the LSP.
The investigation concluded that the Gambinos intentionally misrepresented their whereabouts prior to the theft, and filed a fraudulent claim through their St. Tammany State Farm Insurance office. Upon learning of the issuance of warrants for their arrest, the two turned themselves in to authorities and were booked accordingly into the St. Tammany Parish Jail.
The third case involved a Jefferson Parish woman.
Danielle Walker, 28, of Marrero, was arrested on July 25 following an investigation into a complaint received from State Farm Insurance Company alleging that she submitted a fraudulent lost wages claim following injuries received from a motor vehicle crash.
The investigation revealed that Walker intentionally committed the crimes of Insurance Fraud and Forgery by fraudulently submitting an altered pay stub in order to support her lost wages claim in the amount of $3,080, according to the LSP.
Walker was placed under arrest without incident and booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on the above charges in addition to several additional outstanding warrants.
To report criminal or suspicious activity to the Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations, contact detectives at 225-925-3682.
The Louisiana State Police online reporting system is also available to the public through a convenient and secure reporting form that is submitted to the appropriate investigators. To access the form, go to www.lsp.org and click the Suspicious Activity link.