Essex County Man Sentenced for Stealing $13,700 In Disability Benefits

Link: State of New Jersey.

TRENTON - Attorney General Anne Milgram announced that an Essex County man has been sentenced today for fraudulently collecting more than $13,700 in disability benefits to which he was not entitled.

According to Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Greta Gooden Brown, Basilio Barrett, 53, of East Orange, was ordered by Superior Court Judge Michael A. Petrolle in Essex County to serve five years probation, to pay $13,754 in restitution to PSE&G and to perform 100 hours of community service. The sentence was pursuant to Barrett’s Aug. 22 guilty plea to a criminal accusation charging him with theft by deception and false swearing.

At the guilty plea hearing, Barrett admitted that between Nov. 9, 2006, and Aug. 13, 2007, he falsely claimed he could not perform his job as a service specialist for Public Service Electric & Gas Company. Barrett admitted that, as a result of the fraud, he received $13,754 from Public Service Enterprise Group, the entity which paid him the disability benefits.

Detective Christine Barclay and Deputy Attorney General Cheryl A. Maccaroni were assigned to the investigation into this case. Maccaroni represented the Office of Insurance Fraud Prosecutor at the sentencing.

This case was referred to OIFP by the Public Service Enterprise Group, which initially uncovered the fraud and assisted OIFP in the investigation. Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Brown thanked Public Service Enterprise Group for its assistance in this matter.

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