Cal Fire Captain, Insurance Agent Brother Arrested for Insurance Fraud

A California Fire captain and his insurance agent brother have been arrested for insurance fraud.

Neal Moriarty, 38, a Cal Fire captain, and Ross Moriarty, 42, a licensed insurance agent, were arrested in late July on multiple felony counts of insurance fraud.

The Moriarty brothers allegedly submitted a fraudulent claim and provided false statements to an insurer in order to collect money following an automobile accident.

According to an investigation by the California Department of Insurance, Neal Moriarty while off duty hit a deer on the 101 Freeway causing significant damage to his vehicle.

At the time of the accident, he was reportedly uninjured and uninsured, and while still at the accident site he allegedly called his brother, who used his position as a licensed insurance agent to reinstate Neal Moriarty’s automobile insurance.

The brothers allegedly conspired to falsify the timeline of the accident and proceeded to report a fraudulent claim to the insurer for $13,709 to repair the damaged vehicle.

Insurance investigators asked for phone records due to suspicion surrounding the validity of the claim, but Neal Moriarty failed to provide the records and one month later and withdrew his claim, according to the charges.

“Insurance fraud is an expensive drain on the state’s economy, totaling billions of dollars annually,” California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said in a statement. “The cost of these scams is passed along to consumers through higher rates and premiums.”

The Moriarty brothers were booked into the Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo County Jails. Bail for each was set at $120,000, and their arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 10 at 8:30 a.m. at the San Luis Obispo Superior Court. This case is being prosecuted by the San Luis Obispo District Attorney’s office.