BEEKMANTOWN — Three West Chazy residents face charges after allegedly conspiring to commit insurance fraud.
The Clinton County District Attorney’s Office says Lori A. Provost, 51, failed to notify her insurance company that she was working for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1466 on Spellman Road.
Instead, the DA’’s Office said, former Post Commander Vern Barnes, 56, made false entries in VFW records by issuing checks owed to Provost to her husband George, 51, in order to hide her earnings.
The scheme generated $8,523.93 from an insurance carrier that Mrs. Provost was not entitled to receive, the DA’s Office said.
All three were arrested July 27 by the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department.
Mrs. Provost is charged with third-degree felony insurance fraud and fifth-degree conspiracy, a misdemeanor, the release said.
Mr. Provost faces a misdemeanor charge of fifth-degree conspiracy, while Barnes is charged with second-degree falsification of business records and fifth-degree conspiracy, both misdemeanors.
The three were arraigned in Beekmantown Town Court before Justice Susan Castine, then released on their own recognizance.
They are due back in court on Aug. 8.
The statement said Castine also issued a summons for a fourth person to appear in court on Aug. 8, but further information was not yet available on that aspect of the case.
The arrests were made following a joint investigation by the New York State Department of Financial Services Criminal Investigation Unit and the DA’s Office.
Katherine E. Kopita is prosecutor in the case.
The public can report tips of any kind of revenue fraud to the DA’s office online at www.clintoncountyda.com.
Email Miranda Orso: morso@pressrepublican.com
