OKLAHOMA CITY, July 10 -- The Oklahoma Attorney General issued the following news release:

Attorney General Scott Pruitt's Workers' Compensation and Insurance Fraud Unit has filed charges against a Newcastle resident for attempting to fraudulently obtain insurance money.

According to the charges filed in Oklahoma County District Court, Richard John Zeller, 48, was charged with one count of a false claim for insurance after allegedly submitting a fabricated claim to his insurance company.

On March 7, 2008, Zeller made an initial claim to his insurance company for stolen tools. Zeller's claim was denied after he was unable to present documentation for the stolen items. In Feb. 2010, the case was re-opened when Zeller presented invoices for more than $4,600.

This year, the insurance company referred the case to the Attorney General's Office for investigation. The claim was denied after investigators discovered Zeller had submitted bogus invoices.

The Attorney General's Workers' Compensation and Insurance Fraud Unit is the only Oklahoma law enforcement agency dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of workers' compensation fraud. The Unit also helps raise public awareness of insurance fraud in Oklahoma.

For a copy of the charges, go online to www.oag.ok.gov.

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