Former Owner of Neb. Glass Company Charged with Insurance Fraud

The Nebraska Department of Insurance recently reported that Douglas County Attorney Donald W. Kleine filed criminal charges against Thomas J. Dimitroff, the previous owner of Metro Glass Incorporated, an Omaha-based provider of auto glass replacement and repair.

Dimitroff was arrested March 23 on five felony counts of insurance fraud. He is charged with five felony counts of fraudulent insurance acts pursuant to Neb. Rev.Stat. §28-631. Four of the five counts are Class III felonies, potentially carrying a sentence of a minimum of one-year imprisonment to a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, or $25,000 fine, or both. The remaining count is a Class IV felony potentially carrying a sentence of up to five years’ imprisonment, or $10,000 fine, or both.

Dimitroff is accused of submitting fraudulent invoices for auto glass repair and replacement to five different property and casualty insurance companies. The fraudulent billings are alleged to have occurred over a period spanning three years, from March 2004 to March 2007, resulting in a loss of approximately $90,000. In all, 151 victims have been identified in a scheme in which Dimitroff is accused of submitting fraudulent invoices on behalf of, and without the knowledge of, consumers to the companies and/or their third-party administrators for payment.

The investigation of Dimitroff was conducted by the Nebraska Department of Insurance, Fraud Prevention Division, in conjunction with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office.

“The costs involved in paying fraudulent auto glass claims are often passed on directly to the insurance-buying public in the form of premium payments,” stated Tim Wagner, director of the state insurance department. “The goal of the Department of Insurance is to decrease premiums going towards paying those fraudulent claims. We are pleased to work with the Douglas County Attorney’s Office in fighting insurance fraud in our community.”

Source: Nebraska Department of Insurance

Latest Comments

• April 14, 2007 at 10:51 am

  hector says:

  this is a common occurance all overhe country. i know of shops who are located in a big city and have there billing/mailing/location address in small rural towns so that they ... read more
• April 12, 2007 at 5:00 am

  Michael Curl says:

  Fraud is unfortunately going on too much in the repair industry. I personally know of a company near Rockford who visits lots and charges for repairs to little surface chips ... read more
• April 11, 2007 at 5:10 am

  Les Reid says:

  Do you seeeeeee anything wrong here. If the claims report originated with the agent this would have a smaller chance of having happened especially if the insured had a glass d... read more