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Richard
George Martens of Winnipeg was sentenced
to six months in jail and ordered
to pay restitution of $11,678 to
Manitoba Public Insurance after
pleading guilty to fraud over $5,000
in provincial court yesterday.
Martens,
42, had been receiving disability
payments from Manitoba Public Insurance
as the result of a motor vehicle
crash in March 2000. After a case
manager with Manitoba Public Insurance
noticed several irregularities with
Martens' file, it was forwarded
to the Special Investigation Unit
(SIU) of Manitoba Public Insurance.
An investigation revealed that Martens
was working while collecting disability
payments.
Martens'
jail term comes only a day after
the Canadian Coalition Against Insurance
Fraud reported that insurance fraud
costs Canadian policyholders over
$1 billion each year. To the average
citizen, that means at least ten
percent of their total insurance
premiums are used to cover the cost
of fraud.
"Fraud
is not a victimless crime," said
Jack Zacharias, President and CEO
of Manitoba Public Insurance. "Our
corporation is committed to protecting
honest ratepayers. While the vast
majority of claims are legitimate,
we will rigorously investigate potentially
fraudulent claims."
Manitoba's
justice system has taken a tough
stand against fraud, evidenced in
$125,000 in fines ordered by the
courts between March 1, 2000 to
February 28, 2001. Manitoba Public
Insurance's seconded Crown Attorney
also secured $166,000 in restitution
orders from Manitoba courts.
One
of the largest financial penalties
last year was handed to a 27-year-old
Winnipeg man who received a fine
of $25,000, and was ordered to pay
$39,821.96 in restitution to MPI
after pleading guilty to one count
of fraud over $5,000 and four counts
of possession of stolen property.
"Honest
Manitobans shouldn't have to pay
for the fraudulent actions of a
few," said Randy Bell, Manager of
the SIU. "It's our responsibility
to our policy holders to protect
them from the cost of fraud."
Contact:
Brian Smiley/Twila Allen
Media Relations
Manitoba Public Insurance
(204) 985-7678/7300 or 1-888-554-9549
(toll-free in Manitoba)
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