• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Contact Us
  • Sponsor An Email
  • Post A Job
  • Merger & Acquisition Services

Agency Checklists

Massachusetts Insurance News & Job Opportunities

You are here: Home / Insurance Law | Massachusetts / MA Insurance Law | Criminal Charges / Taunton Insurance Agency’s President Indicted for Stealing $270,000 in Insurance Premiums

Taunton Insurance Agency’s President Indicted for Stealing $270,000 in Insurance Premiums

April 2, 2019 by Owen Gallagher

On March 26, 2019, Attorney General Maura Healey announced that David Pietro, 63, of Sandwich, the president the DGP-Miles Insurance Agency located in Taunton, had been indicted by a Statewide Grand Jury on March 25.

The statewide grand jury law allows the Attorney General to use a simplified indictment procedure the Attorney General need only present evidence to a designated county grand jury to have Agency Checklists, MA Insurance News, Mass. Insurance News, Insurance Fraud in Massachusetts, Indictments Insuranceindictments returned for any county.

Five larceny counts involving the conversion of $270 thousand in clients’ premiums

The indictment charged Mr. Pietro with five counts of larceny over $250 (grand larceny) arising out of Mr. Pietro’s alleged theft of $270,423.65 in premiums paid by clients of the DGP-Miles Agency.

As a result of Mr. Pietro and his agency converting their clients’ premiums and not paying the insurers involved some of the agency’s insureds had their commercial insurance policies canceled and were left uninsured, according to the Attorney General.

No date has been set for Mr. Pietro’s arraignment on this indictment in the Bristol County Superior Court.[pullquote]Attorney General ask for information from the public on any other victims[/pullquote]

The larceny statute allows up to five years in state prison and a $25,000 fine.

The larceny statute, under which Mr. DiPietro is charged, M.G.L. c. 266, § 30, provides, in part, that

Whoever…with intent to steal or embezzle, converts, or secretes with intent to convert, the property of another… shall be guilty of larceny, and if the value of the property stolen exceeds two hundred and fifty dollars, be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than five years, or by a fine of not more than twenty-five thousand dollars and imprisonment in jail for not more than two years…”

Each count of the five counts in the indictment sets out a separate crime punishable as per the statute. While consecutive sentences are legally permissible for each count if a defendant is found guilty, in the ordinary course of proceedings the overwhelming majority of such charges have concurrent sentences

Attorney General ask for information from the public on any other victims

The Attorney General’s announcement, besides identifying the defendant and the premium conversion also asked for any having any information on other victims of Mr. Pietro’s fraud to contact the Attorney General. Her public statement was:

If any member of the public believes they may have been victimized by this conduct, or has any information relating to others who may have been victimized, they are encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s Office Insurance Fraud Tip Line at 617-573-5330.”

Attorney General’s Office and Insurance Fraud Bureau working jointly on the prosecution

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Sara Yoffe of the Attorney General’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit with assistance from Senior Financial Investigator Philip Mantyla of AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit, and Victim Witness Advocate Megan Murphy, and by investigators at the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau.

Attorney General Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit has among its charges the responsibility of protecting the integrity of the commonwealth’s insurance system by investigating and prosecuting crimes involving fraud against any insurer or insurance system.

About the Insurance Fraud Bureau

The Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts is an investigative agency authorized by an Act of the Massachusetts Legislature signed into law in 1990. The Insurance Fraud Bureau conducts criminal investigations and refers appropriate cases for criminal prosecution.

The Insurance Fraud Bureau is funded by automobile and workers’ compensation insurers in Massachusetts. In addition to the investigative division, the Insurance Fraud Bureau has legal, analytic and administrative divisions. Insurance Fraud Bureau personnel receive referrals and follow up with insurance companies’ special investigation units and claim staffs; local, state and federal law enforcement and prosecution agencies to accomplish its mission to prevent, detect and deter suspected fraudulent insurance transactions in Massachusetts.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Filed Under: MA Insurance Law | Criminal Charges, MA Insurance Law | Insurance Fraud Tagged With: insurance agents massachusetts, insurance fraud news in Massachusetts, ma insurance news, Mass. Insurance News, massachusetts insurance news

About Owen Gallagher

Owen Gallagher is an experienced insurance litigator as well as a certified mediator and arbitrator who specializes in insurance industry disputes. His interest and affinity for insurance began at a young age working the counter at his father’s assigned risk agency in Roxbury. Over the course of his career, Owen has argued a number of cases in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and has helped agents, insurance companies, and lawmakers alike with the complexities and idiosyncrasies of insurance law in the Commonwealth.  Owen can be reached here.

Primary Sidebar

Sponsored

Sponsored

MA Division of Insurance Announcements

Latest Agency Sales

Salem Five Insurance Acquires Cavanaugh Insurance Agency

Insurance Agency Mergers & Acquisitions in Massachusetts | Q3-2022

More Agency Sales

Career News

Michael Percy Appointed To Concord Group Board of Directors

Michael Percy Appointed To Concord Group Board of Directors

Layoffs At Two Boston-Based Insurtechs

Layoffs At Two Boston-Based Insurtechs

Massachusetts insurance news, MA Insurance News, Mass. Commissioner of Insurance Gary Anderson, NAIC 2019 Appointments

NAIC Names Its 2023 Committee Leadership

View More Career News

In Memoriam

In Memoriam: Nancy L. Perocchi, 1937-2022

In Memoriam: Peter J. Nobile, Jr., 1931-2022

In Memoriam: Nancy Jane A. Vajcovec, 1947-2022 | Agency Checklists

In Memoriam: Nancy Jane A. Vajcovec, 1947-2022

CAR News

Outgoing Gov Baker Signs Catalytic Converter Bill on Way Out

Road Safety Analysts Put Mass. In “Danger” Zone

Final Look 2022: The Massachusetts Private Passenger Auto Insurance Marketplace

View More CAR News

Massachusetts Law Updates

Insured’s $2 Million Claim For Loss Prevention Costs Scuttled By The Supreme Judicial Court

A look at the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts’ ruling on Ken’s Foods’ common law reimbursement claim.

An Insured’s Underpayment of Loss Lawsuit Over Brookline Building Backfires

The Appeals Court recently affirmed a decision in Anwar Faisal et al. v. United National Insurance Company that reminds one of the saying, “Be careful what you ask for. You may get it.” In this case, the insured sued to get more money on a property damage claim, asking the court to rule on his […]

Failed Foray Into Massachusetts Ends In A Lawsuit For New York Agency Over Its Producer’s Understanding of Salary v. Draw

A case in point about what can go wrong when an agency, its officers, and a producer being onboarded, come to loggerheads and litigation ensues.

Harvard College Sues Zurich to Overturn A Late Notice Denial of A $15 Million Policy Claim

Late Policy Notice to Zurich Leads To Harvard’s Loss of $15 Million in Coverage

Summary Judgement for Zurich effectively dismissed Harvard’s lawsuit by The Court.

More Mass. Law Updates

DOI News

Facts & Figures For New England Insurance Departments & Insurance Producers | 2023

Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Honored for Exceptional Leadership

DOI: Insurance Companies Must Renew MA Appointments by October 14th

The 2022 Home Insurance Report Part III | Policy Numbers by Massachusetts County

View More DOI News

Insurance Fraud

Walmart Will Pay $500k For Its Failure To Follow Workers’ Comp. Prescription Pricing Procedures

Former Insurance Adjuster Indicted in Connection with Stealing Identities of Four Victims of Merrimack Valley Gas Explosions

Phony Pumpkin Assault Claim Gets 3 Years For Insurance Fraud

Edgartown Masonry Company Owner Indicted for Workers’ Compensation Fraud

More Insurance Fraud News

Footer

Agency Checklists

Contact us

14 Summer Street
Suite 102
Malden, MA 02148
617-598-3800

Advertise on Agency Checklists

We offer a variety of ways to get help promote your company or product.

Announcements
Email Sponsorships
Partnerships
Custom Collaborations

*Affiliate Disclosure

Please note that any of Agency Checklists’ articles might contain one or more affiliate links. This means that any subsequent purchase resulting from these links may result in a commission for us, but at no additional cost to you. For example, as an Amazon Associate, Agency Checklists earns a commission from all qualifying purchases. By working with affiliates we can continue to keep Agency Checklists subscription free. Thank you for your support.

SEARCH OUR SITE

Explore Our Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Agency Checklists · All rights reserved.

 

Loading Comments...