HARRISBURG – Agents from the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section have arrested a Philadelphia man who allegedly purchased fraudulent insurance off the streets of Philadelphia and used the fake cards in paperwork submitted to PennDOT for vehicle tags and registration.
Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Vincent Wingate, 28, 2128 Morris St., Philadelphia.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began following an October 2009 accident near 17th and Wharton Streets in Philadelphia. A man, riding his bicycle, allegedly struck a Ford Pickup truck that was parked unattended with a large pieces of lumber and logs protruding from the back and seriously injured his face.
Corbett said that the man reported the incident to police and it was determined that the vehicle was registered to Wingate.
The charges state that Wingate purchased the vehicle in August 2009 and obtained tags and registration from PennDOT providing insurance information from Keystone Insurance Company (AAA Mid-Atlantic Insurance Company.)
According to the criminal complaint, Wingate was never insured by Keystone or AAA Mid-Atlantic and allegedly purchased his vehicle insurance card off the streets of Philadelphia.
Corbett said that Wingate allegedly used the fraudulent card to submit paperwork to PennDOT in order to receive tags and registration for his truck.
Wingate is charged with two counts of tampering with public records, one count of insurance fraud, and one count of unsworn falsification. He faces a maximum penalty of up to 12 years in prison and a $27,500 fine.
Wingate was preliminarily arraigned and released on bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2010.
He will be prosecuted in Philadelphia County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Robert LaBar of the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Section.
