MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that an insurance broker from Huntington has been arrested for using stolen identities to illegally acquire auto insurance policies.
Sardar Nasarullah, 62, was arraigned yesterday before Judge Paul Meli and charged with:
- Two counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a D felony)
- Two counts of Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree (a D felony)
- Five counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree (a D felony)
- Three counts of Identity Theft in the Second Degree (an E felony)
- Four counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (an E felony)
- Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (an E felony)
The defendant was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court January 5. If convicted of the top count he faces a maximum of 2-1/3 years to seven years in prison.
Additionally, his Hicksville-based business, Commercial Business Insurance Brokerage Corp. was arraigned yesterday before Judge Meli and charged with:
- Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a D felony)
- Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree (a D felony)
- Five counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree (a D felony)
- Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree (an E felony)
- Insurance Fraud in the Fourth Degree (an E felony)
- Three counts of Identity Theft in the Second Degree (an E felony)
- Four counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (an E felony)
- Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (an E felony)
If convicted, the business faces a fine of up to $10,000 or double the defendant’s gain from the alleged crime. The business is also due back in court January 5.
“Sardar Nasarullah and his company are accused of stealing the identities of unsuspecting customers and racking up thousands of dollars of insurance policy charges in their name,” DA Singas said. “This case illustrates the importance of protecting sensitive personal information that could be used by thieves to commit identity theft and I encourage every Nassau resident to monitor their credit reports regularly to spot any suspicious activity.”
DA Singas said from June 22, 2006 to March 4, 2016 the defendant, a licensed insurance broker, and his business allegedly used stolen identities to defraud auto insurance companies by obtaining corporate policies instead of personal policies which carry higher rates and costs. To do this, the defendants allegedly submitted fake policy applications to the auto insurance companies, naming identity theft victims as the vehicle operators. The defendants also allegedly listed the identity theft victims as the president of the corporations they had created. The corporations were created solely for fraudulent purposes, but were not fraudulent in and of themselves. The seven known victims were unaware that their personal information was being used. The defendants allegedly perpetrated this scheme to obtain insurance for customers who could not otherwise afford it or to obtain lower rates for drivers.
The defendants are charged with fraudulently obtaining corporate automobile insurance policies from multiple companies, including AutoOne Insurance, National Liability & Fire Insurance, Farm Family Casualty Insurance, Lincoln General Insurance, Progressive Northern Insurance, and Merchants Mutual Insurance resulting in a loss of at least $40,000 to the insurers.
This case was referred to the NCDA in August 2016 following an investigation by New York Automobile Insurance Plan Special Investigations. Prosecutors later discovered that many of the identity theft victims may have provided personal information to the defendant at an insurance reduction course they offered in Hicksville.
ADA Brian Heid, Chief of DA Singas’ Vehicle Theft and Fraud Unit, is prosecuting this case. The defendants are represented by Frederick K. Brewington, Esq.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
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