Orange County Man Arraigned on Fraud Charges

Investigators from the California Department of Insurance (CDI) Criminal Investigations Branch’s Fraud Division arrested Ralph G. Lattanzi, 36, of Orange County, on Nov. 5. Lattanzi was charged with two felony counts of insurance fraud and one felony count of grand theft.

Lattanzi was booked into the Orange County Jail and bail was set at $25,000. If convicted, Lattanzi could face up to five years in state prison and/or fines up to $50,000.

An investigation was initiated after a referral from an insurance carrier was submitted to CDI. According to investigators, in July of 2001, Lattanzi allegedly filed a claim with an insurance carrier for damage to his vehicle. Lattanzi stated an errant golf ball from a golf course struck and damaged his windshield while driving. Investigators allege that Lattanzi subsequently submitted a false invoice for windshield repairs to the insurance carrier for the country club.

During the course of the investigation, an additional claim involving Lattanzi and another insurance carrier was found. In June of 2001, investigators say Lattanzi also allegedly submitted a false receipt, claiming reimbursement for rental of a vehicle needed due to a collision he had been involved in. The insurance carrier determined the receipt submitted by Lattanzi was false.

During the booking process at Orange County Jail, Lattanzi was found to be in possession of a Private Investigator license belonging to Thomas Hine Investigations of Mendocino County, Calif. Lattanzi was listed as the private investigator.

Lattanzi was also in possession of an identification card for the National Association of Fraud Investigators, indicating he was a member under the name of Ralph G. Sanchez, one of Lattanzi’s many aliases.