Plymouth County DA's Office Gets Grant To Fight Insurance Fraud

BROCKTON, MA — The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office said it will use a $50,000 grant from the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts to continue its fight against insurance fraud in Brockton and Plymouth County. Plymouth County DA Timothy Cruz said the funding will help advance work in Brockton from the Community Insurance Fraud Initiative, which was launched in 2004 in response to a staged accident in Lawrence that killed a 65-year-old woman.

"We all pay the price when someone commits insurance fraud and abuses the system," Cruz said. "This joint task force has made a significant dent in reducing auto insurance fraud here in the City of Brockton and has also been a major factor in reducing premiums for policy holders across the state. Since its inception in 2003, the (Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts) reports that the CIFI program has saved policy holders $5.7 billion. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership with the Commissioner and the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts."

The grant is funded by Arbella Mutual Insurance Company as part of a program in coordination with the Commissioner of Insurance and the IFB.

"This unified task force approach to fight fraud in areas most plagued by this crime has shown it is working in 13 cities across the state," Daniel J. Johnston, executive director of the IFB. "The results in Brockton remain successful, largely because the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office and the Brockton Police Department, in partnership with the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts, are dedicated to their fraud-fighting and prosecution efforts."