Man accused of making $16,000 in false insurance claims about home damage

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – An Upper Yoder Township man is accused of fabricating a story about home damage to police and an insurance company for a $16,000 claim in 2024.

Insurance fraud investigators for the State Attorney’s Office said Peter Charles O’Hara- Diaz, 54, filed reports with Upper Yoder Township police and Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Co. alleging that a sport utility vehicle struck his retaining wall and damaged his home’s foundation Nov. 12.

O’Hara-Diaz claimed the damage caused water to infiltrate his basement, police said.

Investigators said O’Hara-Diaz spoke to different parties, including claims adjusters, Upper Yoder Township police Officer Nicholas Zakucia and a state Attorney General’s Office agent.

O’Hara-Diaz gave them differing details at times, including whether or not he saw a vehicle strike his Sell Street property, Attorney General’s Office Special Agent Brad Klock said in a criminal complaint.

One adjuster photographed the basement damage while speaking to O’Hara-Diaz – but later determined the damage was “old” and pre-dated O’Hara- Diaz’s purchase of the property.

During the final inspection phase of claim review, a consultant examined photos from a 2023 real estate listing that showed water infiltration issues already existed in the basement, Klock wrote.

Insurance investigators determined there was no indication a vehicle struck the structure.

O’Hara-Diaz faces felony charges of insurance fraud and attempted theft by deception.

He was separately charged earlier this year with terroristic threats, accused of threatening staff at Alternative Community Resource Program by phone in February.

At the time, law enforcement officials said he was wanted on a warrant related to sex crimes in Rhode Island.

O’Hara-Diaz is lodged in Cambria County Prison in Ebensburg after failing to post 10% of his $60,000 bond, online court documents show.

A preliminary hearing date on the fraud is currently set for May 14.

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