Seven Plead Guilty in $1M Poconos Insurance Fraud Case

Article

Seven of nine people charged with cheating health insurers out of more than $1 million have pleaded guilty in county court.

The Pocono Record reported on its website Wednesday that seven, including alleged ringleader Judi Grate, 60, of Effort, pleaded guilty to charges that included conspiracy to commit theft by deception, insurance fraud and more.

Grate bought insurance policies to cover the cost of home care for herself and then sent insurers fraudulent invoices for care she never received. Also pleading guilty in Monroe County Court on Tuesday were Pecilla Flowers and Petricia Lesane, both of Georgetown, S.C.; Uhura Byrd, 38, of Newark, N.J.; Barbara Rollins, of Raeford, N.C.; and Melissa Bucano and Christopher Bucano, of Effort.