November 9, 2006

Attorney General Corbett announces arrest of Bucks Co. man in insurance fraud scam; $23,000 diamond ring reported stolen - auctioned on eBay

HARRISBURG - Attorney General Tom Corbett today announced that agents from the Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section have filed criminal charges against a Bucks County man accused of falsely claiming that his late wife's $23,000 diamond engagement ring had been stolen, and later attempting to auction the ring on eBay.

Corbett identified the defendant as Gary Gerard Blank, 47, 3147 Pasqualone Blvd., Bensalem.

According to the criminal charges, Blank filed an insurance claim on Oct. 3, 2005, stating that his dead wife's diamond engagement ring and several other pieces of her jewelry had been stolen.  For insurance purposes, the ring had been appraised by a jeweler and valued at $23,050, which is the amount Blank was paid by Philadelphia Contributionship Insurance Company (PCI).  Blank also received a $1,500 payment from PCI for the other missing jewelry.

Corbett said that on August 18, 2006, agents from the Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section observed a ring being offered for sale on the eBay auction website, which matched the description of the ring that Blank had reported stolen.  The ring, missing its 2 ct. center diamond, was being offered for sale by an eBay user named "Philly_drummer," an eBay account registered to Gary G. Blank, of Bensalem.

According to the criminal charges, Blank took his late wife's engagement ring to a Philadelphia jeweler in August 2005 to have the large center diamond removed and placed in another ring.  At that time, Blank allegedly told the jeweler that he intended to sell the remaining portions of his wife's ring on eBay.

Corbett said that on Sept. 1, 2006, agents interviewed Deborah Hartman, who shared Bensalem residence with Blank.  Ms. Hartman allegedly acknowledged that Blank had given her a ring which contained a diamond that had been removed from a ring belonging to Blank's deceased wife.

Also on Sept. 1, 2006, agents executed a search of Blank's Bensalem home, recovering a woman's diamond engagement ring hidden inside a bottle of liquid laundry detergent.  The ring, missing its center diamond, matched the description of the ring that Blank had reported stolen, and also matched the description of the ring Blank had allegedly offered for sale on eBay.

Additionally, Corbett said agents seized three firearms from Blank's residence, including a .22 magnum revolver, a semi-automatic shotgun and a rifle.  Blank is prohibited from possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction.

Blank is charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of theft by deception, both third degree felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Blank is also charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, a second degree felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $25,000 fine, along with making false reports to law enforcement, a third degree misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

Corbett said Blank was arrested today by agents from the Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section and preliminarily arraigned before Penndel (Bucks County) Magisterial District Judge Joseph P. Falcone.  A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 16, 2006.
Blank was lodged in the Bucks County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

The case will be prosecuted in Bucks County by Deputy Attorney General Michele Walsh, of the Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

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