N.J. Massage Therapist Sentenced on Fraud Charge

New Jersey’s Acting Attorney General Peter Harvey announced that a Bergen County massage therapist has been sentenced for reportedly submitting more than $5,000 in fraudulent insurance claims to the Chubb Insurance Company.

According to Vaughn McKoy, Acting Director, Division of Criminal Justice and Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Anthony Spano of Hillsdale was ordered by Bergen County Superior Court Judge William Meehan to pay a $5,000 civil insurance fraud fine pursuant to the Insurance Fraud Prevention Act, serve two years probation, and pay $307.00 restitution to the Chubb Insurance Company.The sentence was handed down by Judge Meehan on June 13.

Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown noted that Spano, a massage therapist formerly employed at the Circle of Health Clinic in Hillsdale, entered a guilty plea before Judge Meehan on March 4. Spano was charged via a criminal Accusation with one count of theft by deception.

At the guilty plea hearing, Spano admitted that between July 13, 1999 and March 1, 2000, submitting $5,425 in fraudulent Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance claims to the Chubb Insurance Company for 29 massage therapy sessions that were never reportedly rendered to patients.