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You are here: Home / Latest News / Six-Day Jury Trial: Property Owner Not Guilty Of Insurance Arson

Six-Day Jury Trial: Property Owner Not Guilty Of Insurance Arson

February 28, 2023 by Owen Gallagher


On February 14, 2023, following a six-day jury trial, Joseph F. Gulluni Jr., 68, was acquitted of all charges of arson to defraud an insurance company related to a fire that destroyed a six-unit property he owned in Palmer on June 4, 2019.

Coverage of the case on MassLive

Tenants lucky to escape with their lives

The fire broke out in the morning while two tenants were home. The fire quickly turned into an inferno, and neighboring fire departments joined Palmer in fighting the blaze and protecting nearby properties. The two tenants escaped unharmed but lost all of their belongings. A Palmer police detective reported that these tenants were lucky to have escaped with their lives

Neighbor’s webcam showed Mr. Gulluni at the property just before the blaze starts

Mr. Gulluni’s blue Audi had been captured on a neighbor’s surveillance video pulling up to the property just before 8:30 a.m. on the day of the fire. The footage showed him walking into the garage where construction and renovation materials were stored, with a “flash” on the footage just before he left the garage. Smoke began to appear through a window 47 seconds later, and the surveillance video captured the smoke filling the garage.

A police search of Mr. Gulluni’s Audi turned up five cigarette lighters, but there were no signs of an accelerant that would have hastened a fire.

Indictments for arson of a dwelling and burning a building to defraud its insurer

After further investigation, Mr. Gulluni was indicted by a grand jury for arson of a dwelling and burning a building to defraud an insurance company. The insurance company involved in the indictment was Penn-American Insurance. Convictions on the indictments carried up to twenty years in state prison.

The Commonwealth argues a financial motive to burn the building for its insurance

During the six-day jury trial, the Commonwealth argued that Mr. Gulluni had started the fire due to financial problems. He had purchased the building for $30,000 and was unable to finance the extensive renovations it required. The Commonwealth also proved that the fire occurred just days before Mr. Gulluni’s insurance policy on the property would lapse.

The defense argued that he had not started the fire and that it had been quietly smoldering before he arrived at the property. Furthermore, the defense argued that Mr. Gulluni had no significant financial gain to be achieved by starting the fire, as he could have sold one or more of his other ten rental properties for a similar amount.

The jury finds reasonable doubt on all charges

The jury deliberated for two days before rendering not guilty verdicts on all four felony indictments related to the fire and the alleged insurance fraud.

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Filed Under: Latest News, MA Insurance Law | Insurance Fraud Tagged With: Agency Checklists, insurance fraud Massachusetts, insurance news massachusetts, Mass. Insurance News, massachusetts insurance news, New England 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.

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