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CFO SINK ANNOUNCES ARREST OF A DUVAL COUNTY MAN ON
CHARGES OF INSURANCE FRAUD, GRAND THEFT, AND FORGERY
Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink announced the arrest of a
Duval County man on charges he fraudulently received nearly $400,000
in life insurance from an accelerated
death claim. The arrest involves charges of alleged insurance
fraud, grand theft, forgery and uttering a forged instrument.
Raymond J. Martinez, Jr., 49, of Jacksonville, is accused of forging a
doctor's signature on a claim form
submitted to New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC). In the form,
Martinez stated he had terminal cancer and would likely live 12-months
or less. In response to his fraudulent claim Martinez received a
$375,000 check from NYLIC. Martinez, arrested last week, is currently
being held in the Duval County Jail. If convicted, he could potentially
face up 30 years in prison.
“Insurance fraud affects everyone, from an increase in premiums for
policyholders to the monetary loss of the company,” CFO Sink said. “My
office will continue to ensure those who commit insurance fraud are
aggressively pursued and held accountable for their devious actions.”
The charges stem from investigations by the Department of Financial
Services’ Division of Insurance Fraud (DIF), a sworn statewide law
enforcement agency responsible for the investigation of insurance
fraud. The DIF made more than 800 insurance fraud-related arrests in
the last fiscal year.
Insurance fraud in Florida has been estimated to cost Floridians as much
as $1,400 a year per person. The DIF investigates various forms of
fraud in insurance, including health, life, auto, property and workers'
compensation insurance. Depending on the estimated loss amount, the
department will pay up to $25,000 for information directly leading to an
arrest and conviction. Anyone with information about this or any other
suspected insurance fraud is asked to call the department's Fraud
Fighters Hotline at 1-800-378-0445 or log on to
www.MyFloridaCFO.com/fraud. Complaints can be tracked online.
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