MAN ARRESTED IN GLASS-EATING FRAUD SCHEME

Boston, MA... A Massachusetts man was arrested late yesterday on an indictment charging him with fraud and other offenses related to a fraudulent scheme in which he, along with his wife, submitted false insurance claims that they had ingested glass found in food they had eaten at restaurants and grocery stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New England, announced today that RONALD EVANO, a/k/a “Robert Evano,” “Robert Dixon,” “Ron Stevens,” “Ronald Ross,” “Ronald Rose,” “Robert Reed,” “Alex Benton,” “Ron Evans” and “Donald Hill,” age unknown, and MARY EVANO, a/k/a “Mary Evans,” “Lisa Benton,” “Mary Dixon,” “Nancy Stevens,” “Lisa Moore,” “Mary Reed,” “Nancy Dixon” and “Connie Hill”, age unknown, residing at various addresses in Massachusetts, Maryland and West Virginia were charged in an Indictment with conspiracy and multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, identity fraud, social security fraud and false statements on health care matters.

The Indictment, which was unsealed late yesterday, alleges that from at least August 1997 through June 2005, the EVANOS engaged in an insurance fraud scheme pursuant to which they submitted false claims that they had been injured by restaurants, hotels and supermarkets in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The EVANOS falsely claimed that various hotels, restaurants and supermarkets had served them food with glass particles. Although in some instances the EVANOS may have actually ingested glass particles, those glass particles did not come from food served by the restaurants, hotels and supermarkets. Rather, the EVANOS intentionally ingested the glass particles and then falsely claimed that the restaurants, hotels and supermarkets had caused the particles to be in food that they were served. In connection with their scheme, the EVANOS submitted their various glass ingestion claims under a variety of identities, using false identification and false social security number information. Through their fraudulent scheme, the EVANOS obtained in excess of $200,000 and incurred over $100,000 in medical bills, which are unpaid to date.

MARY EVANO remains at large.

If convicted on these charges, the defendants face up to 20 years imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine on each of the mail and wire fraud counts. They face up to 5 years imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 on each of the conspiracy, social security fraud and false statement counts. They face up to 15 years imprisonment followed by three years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine on each of the identity fraud counts.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack W. Pirozzolo of Sullivan’s Economic Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Press Contact: Christina DiIorio-Sterling, (617) 748-3356