Elizabeth Police Officer Acquitted Of Health Insurance Fraud Charges

ELIZABETH, NJ — Elizabeth Police Officer Alana Velazquez, who was facing health insurance fraud charges after filing a lawsuit against the department, has been acquitted of all charges, said Velazquez's attorney Thomas Mirigliano.

Following a multi-week jury trial, Velazquez of Rahway was acquitted of all charges on March 7, confirmed Mirigliano.

Velazquez was initially charged in September 2017 with second-degree insurance fraud, third-degree theft by deception and three counts of fourth-degree uttering a forged document for allegedly receiving more than $8,600 in disability benefits.

The charges followed a lawsuit she filed earlier in the year against the department.

"Of course, I cannot confirm 100 percent that the charges were filed in retaliation of Alana’s lawsuit, but it is more than a reasonable inference that can be drawn from the facts of the case," said Mirigliano to Patch.

Now that the charges have been acquitted, Velazquez "intends to proceed with her suit as soon as possible," said Mirigliano.

A request for comment from Elizabeth officials was not immediately returned to Patch.

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