Auto Insurance Scam Involved Deer Parts
By Joseph A. Slobodzian, The Philadelphia Inquirer | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
There were deer heads mounted on the walls and carcasses, fur, and blood stored in the back.
In reality, says
Galati -- an alleged mob associate awaiting trial for paying to kill three people -- was in the business, according to a grand jury, of "fictitious deer accidents."
He is accused of having workers pull weeds from the river bands at
And deer weren't the only props used, the prosecutor said Wednesday. There were geese and dogs and chunks of metal and concrete, as well as hurtled cartons of fruit.
Galati favored creating single-vehicle accidents because insurance companies would consider them "no-fault" and pay the claims without raising the vehicle owners' premiums, Williams contended.
According to grand jury witnesses, Galati would say: "I live my life to cheat insurance companies."
Galati, 63, was one of 41 people charged in the fraud after a 16-month investigation by a
Galati Sr.'s attorney,
Voci also represents Galati Sr. on two other pending cases: an alleged contract to kill a grand jury witness and his son, and federal charges that he ordered the
Among others charged in the insurance scheme were a former
According to the grand jury presentment, DiEmidio created false accident reports to help Galati "legitimize" bogus accidents.
DiEmidio was fired last year after being charged in an unrelated case with stealing
Otterson, a
In December, the city ended its contract with Galati's company after the
City Managing Director
The defendants were charged with counts alleging operating a corrupt organization, conspiracy, insurance fraud, bid-rigging, and theft.
Assistant District Attorney
Williams said the investigation of Galati began when two insurance companies,
Galati's name and business also figured in the federal racketeering conspiracy case against reputed mob capo
He and Borgesi, Monacello said, were paid by Galati to vandalize the cars of his own customers.
Galati would copy keys to cars brought into his shop for repair, and Borgesi would later find them parked on the street, steal them, and crash them into the other vehicles owned by Galati customers, Monacello said. The purported point of their vandalism: to create more work and potential insurance paydays for American Collision, the mobster said.
215-854-2985 @joeslobo
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