Adjuster and Lover Concoct Insurance Fraud Scheme

Wanda Reeves, formerly employed as a claim adjuster at the Robert Plan Corp., in Edison, N.J., and her paramour, Clifford T. Baskerville, have been sentenced to state prison for concocting an insurance fraud scheme that netted more than $25,000 in stolen automobile accident settlement monies, according to the state attorney general's office. Both suspects pleaded guilty, and received sentences of five and three years, respectively. Additionally, each was ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution.

In pleading guilty, Reeves admitted to using her position to issue fraudulent insurance claim checks to herself, Baskerville, and others who were not involved in the accidents. Six checks were issued directly to Baskerville, while two other checks were issued to third-party payees and deposited into Baskerville's account. Baskerville admitted assisting in the conspiracy and to negotiating the checks.

The insurance fraud prosecutor's office noted that, in November 2003, a grand jury indictment charged both Reeves and Baskerville with theft of approximately $120,000 from Cambridge Integrated Services Co., in Whippany, N.J. The indictment charged that Reeves, while employed as an adjuster at Cambridge, used a similar scheme to issue fraudulent claim checks to Baskerville.