Five San Diego residents arraigned in disability insurance fraud scheme
News: 2024 Press Release
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — Tyler Andrew Liebowitz, 45, of San Diego, was arraigned on 15 felony counts of insurance fraud after an investigation by the California Department of Insurance and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office found he allegedly conspired with others to receive insurance benefits they were not entitled to by submitting dozens of fraudulent insurance documents for a long-term disability policy. Liebowitz conspired with four other individuals who were also arraigned for their role in the scheme, including his brother, Dean Craig Liebowitz, 52, of Del Mar, who was arraigned yesterday on six felony counts of insurance fraud.
The investigation found they conspired to defraud the insurance company by filing fraudulent claims against the long-term disability policy of the Liebowitz brothers’ mother. Detectives learned that 63 fraudulent claims documents were submitted for insurance benefits reporting the defendants as her caregivers. Analysis of the claim documentation, bank records, mobile phone records, and other data revealed that many of the payments they attempted to receive were for times caregivers were not present. The investigation also found that suspects made false statements about the amount of money paid to the reported caregivers and the number of hours worked. In certain instances, narcotics were provided in exchange for insurance benefit money derived from false claims of work performed.
The other defendants include:
- Ashlin Nerisa Prol, 37, of San Diego, who was arraigned on six counts of felony insurance fraud.
- Ali Jamal Ibrahim, 21, of San Diego, who was arraigned on five counts of insurance fraud.
- Audra Jane Birndorf, 55, of San Diego, who was arraigned on three felony counts of insurance fraud.
Tyler Liebowitz was arrested on March 11, 2024 and Dean Liebowitz was arrested on March 18, 2024. The other defendants self-surrendered at their arraignments. The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting this case.
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Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
