Erie Co. Insurance Agent Arrested for Submitting Bogus Cancer Applications

HARRISBURG –  A former Erie County insurance agent was arrested today following allegations that she submitted more than 50 bogus cancer and specified health event policy applications on behalf of family, friends and others without their knowledge.

Attorney General Linda Kelly identified the defendant as Heather Kozuchowsky, 27, 716 South Center St., Corry, Erie County. Kozuchowsky was formerly a licensed insurance agent with Aflac.

According to the criminal complaint, Kozuchowsky submitted bogus insurance applications on behalf of 15 policyholders for 53 insurance policies, which could not be verified by social security number, date of birth, or address.

Kelly said that the majority of Aflac’s business is related to accident policies, which pays a low commission compared to high commissions for cancer and specified health even policies.

The charges state that Kozuchowsky submitted an abnormally high amount of cancer and specified health policies and allegedly received nearly $11,000 in commissions for the bogus policies she created.

Kozuchowsky is charged with one count of forgery, one count of theft by deception and one count of insurance fraud. She was preliminarily arraigned before Erie Magisterial District Judge Thomas Carney and released on her own recognizance. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 31, 2011.

The case will be prosecuted in Erie County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jerome Orie of the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section.