Forest Hills insurance broker busted for larceny, insurance fraud
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Andrew Teitelbaum, a licensed insurance broker operating out of Forest Hills is accused of grand larceny, insurance fraud and other crimes for allegedly writing policies for “dollar vans” but claiming the high-risk vehicles were used for other purposes to get discounted rates, according to Queens County District Attorney Richard Brown. He’s also accused of putting the insurance policies in the names of mystery friends, instead of the actual drivers.
“While the direct victim in this case is an insurance company, everyone who pays for auto insurance is also victimized with higher premiums,” said District Attorney Brown. “The defendant is accused of knowingly writing policies for ‘dollar vans’ but stating on insurance forms that the vehicles would make deliveries only or claimed other less risky usage. It is alleged that an undercover investigator visited the defendant’s Forest Hills office and twice walked out with cheaper premiums, and once even received an additional discount for taking a safe driver course even though he’d never taken the class.”
Teitelbaum, 59, of Lakeside Lane in West Hampton, New York, operated DG East Point Insurance Agency at 98- 20 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills. He faces charges of second-degree larceny, second and third-degree insurance fraud, third-degree grand larceny, second-degree forgery, first-degree identity theft, first-degree falsifying business records and first-degree scheme to defraud. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
