Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, New York City – Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Anthony A. Scarpino Jr., the Westchester County District Attorney, Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent of the New York State Police (“NYSP”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest today of 27 individuals – including five 911 operators and a uniformed police officer employed by the New York City Police Department (“the NYPD Defendants”) – in connection with a multimillion-dollar scheme to commit bribery and violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”) (the “No-Fault Scheme”).

Twenty-three of the 27 defendants were arrested this morning in New York and New Jersey and are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Gabriel Gorenstein in federal court later today. Defendant Latifah Abdul-Khaliq will be presented today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in North Carolina, and defendant Kourtnei Williams will be presented today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Miami, Florida. Defendant Leon Blue, a/k/a “Boochie,” is in custody in New Jersey and will be presented in Manhattan at a later date. Defendant Tara Rose, a/k/a “Christine Waters,” a/k/a “Christine Hinds,” a/k/a “Taylor Hinds,” was also arrested this morning, and will be presented in Manhattan at a later date. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.

As part of the scheme, the alleged ringleader, defendant Anthony Rose, a/k/a “Todd Chambers,” and his co-conspirators bribed 911 operators, medical personnel, and police officers for the confidential information of tens of thousands of motor vehicle accident victims. Using this information, Rose and his co-conspirators contacted victims, lied to them, and steered them to clinics and lawyers handpicked by Rose and his associates. These clinics and lawyers then paid ROSE kickbacks for these referrals, which Rose distributed to co-conspirators as payments and bribes.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Anthony Rose and his associates masterminded a brazen scheme that involved bribing 911 operators, medical personnel, and police officers for the confidential information of tens of thousands of motor vehicle accident victims. These actions have undermined the integrity of our emergency and medical first responders. This Office is committed to rooting out corruption wherever it is found, and will not rest until those who seek to profit by corrupting our public institutions are bought to justice.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The charges alleged in today’s indictment describe a scheme that blatantly violated HIPAA laws and actively targeted those the act was established to protect. May today’s arrests be a reminder to everyone that capitalizing on the pain and suffering of others won’t win you any favors in the court of law.”

Westchester District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. said: “This five-year-long collaborative investigation, initiated by my Office and the New York State Police, is significant as it has exposed the systematic flaws in the no-fault insurance laws and those who seek to abuse them. My Office is committed to uncovering fraud and prosecuting those who profit by abuse. The nature of this fraud and bribery results in higher insurance premiums and unnecessary medical costs which impacts us all. Hopefully, this prosecution will act as a deterrent to those who seek to profit illegally by gaming the system. I want to thank our law enforcement partners – U.S. Attorney Berman and the Southern District, the New York State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, New York State Department of Financial Services and the F.B.I. – in rooting out this extensive corruption and bringing those responsible to justice.”

State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett said: “It is unconscionable for any entrusted public official to use their authority or position as a public servant to take advantage of others, especially in the manner alleged. I commend our State Police members and all of our law enforcement partners for their outstanding investigative work on this case. It sends a clear message that no one is above the law, and such alleged abuse of power, especially when it involves the manipulation of victims, will not be tolerated.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “Corruption, in all forms, is intolerable within the NYPD and we continue to work with our law enforcement partners to expose these sorts of schemes. Insurance fraud costs companies and policy holders millions upon millions of dollars a year and I want to thank the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, the New York State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the NYC Department of Financial Services, the Westchester County D.A.’s office and our NYPD investigators who brought justice for victims in this case.”

Further details on the case can be found on the US Attorney’s Press Release page.

 In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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