A fraudster has been jailed for faking the deaths of 30 dogs in a wide-ranging pet insurance con.
Robert Daniel Cretu, 40, from Liverpool, was found guilty of fraud by false representation in connection with 30 separate fraudulent pet insurance claims submitted to a number of insurers, the City of London Police revealed.
The force’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) – which operates nationwide – investigated Cretu after he made dozens of claims that insured dogs had died.
In more than 30 cases, he claimed nearly identical circumstances had taken place.
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This included claims the dog had been startled while out on a walk, slipped its lead, run into the road and been fatally struck by a vehicle, police said.
Other claims involved the dog chasing a seagull from a pier, falling into the sea and later washing up on a beach, dead.
The force said it uncovered an elaborate trail of falsified documents to support the claims, including fake vet records, altered pet medical histories, cremation paperwork and fabricated bank statements.
Cretu pleaded guilty to five charges related to 30 separate claims.
He was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court to 20 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
While he successfully obtained more than £31,000 through his criminal behaviour, the total value of the fraud was significantly higher.
Detective Chief Inspector Nik Jethwa, from the IFED, said: “Cretu took advantage of multiple insurers for financial gain at a time that is often distressing for people who have lost a pet.
“He exploited the system for his own benefit but has ultimately paid the price for his actions. IFED will continue to pursue criminals who seek to abuse the insurance system for personal profit.”
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Jon Radford, the head of intelligence, investigations and data services at the Insurance Fraud Bureau, said: “By using records from his own living pet to create fictional dogs and submit bogus death claims, Cretu cynically exploited pet insurance designed to support owners during some of their most difficult moments.”
Mr Radford added that insurance fraud was not a “victimless crime” and drives up the price for “honest customers”.
The firms affected by his false claims included Allianz, Markerstudy Retail, Admiral and Pinnacle, City of London Police said.
Lorraine Nash, in charge of counter fraud at Admiral Pet Insurance, said pet insurance provided “valuable support and peace of mind” to customers and had worked closely with law enforcement agencies to identify the false claims.
“Protecting genuine customers and maintaining trust in pet insurance are priorities for Admiral Pet,” she added.
“This outcome highlights the strength of industry collaboration and serves as a reminder that insurance fraud can be identified, is taken seriously, and may have significant consequences.”
Tabitha Ingleson, fraud risk and claims manager at Makerstudy, said the case was a “fantastic result highlighting the importance of cross-industry collaboration”.
And Matt Crabtree, Allianz UK’s head of financial crime intelligence and investigations, said collaboration was “vital in tackling organised fraud, to help protect our honest customers”.
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