Florida Police Sergeant Arrested for Filing Fraudulent Claim Over Sunken Boat

A sergeant with the Tampa Police Department has been arrested on a charge of filing a false and fraudulent insurance claim to defraud his insurance company after his 23-foot boat sank, a statement from the Florida Department of Financial Services said.

Shane Gadoury, a sergeant with the Tampa Police Department, is alleged to have renewed his insurance policy and submitted a fraudulent insurance claim the day after his boat sank.

An investigation by the DFS Division of Investigative and Forensic Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud detectives revealed that Gadoury was first notified that his 23-foot boat was sinking and then told the following day that the boat completely sunk. At which point he requested the local sheriff’s office to check on the boat to confirm it was underwater. Gadoury then allegedly contacted his insurance company to obtain a new policy for $13,000 worth of coverage. The next day, he allegedly submitted a claim for the total loss of his boat.

Gadoury was arrested at the end of February and booked into the Hillsborough County Jail on a charge of filing a false and fraudulent insurance claim. If convicted, he faces up to 5 years in prison. Individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“It’s especially heart breaking when a person sworn to serve and protect our communities gets caught up in criminal activity. Insurance fraud steals from hard working Florida families and drives up rates statewide,” CFO Jimmy Patronis said. “We can be proud of the law enforcement teams who worked together to uncover a bad actor from their ranks.”

Source: Florida Department of Financial Services

Topics Florida Fraud Law Enforcement