The trial of brothers accused of forging health insurance claims forms with intent to defraud has heard how a claims examiner at the Castleisland branch of the New York Life Insurance company was struck that “something was not right”.
Patrick Enright (52), a solicitor, Glenlarehan, Castleisland, and his brother Denis Enright (48), a farmer, Knockardtry, Castleisland, are each charged with nine counts of forgery.
A total of €31,850 was claimed, in the name of a Dr John Coyle, Eighth Avenue, New York, it is alleged. Both men have pleaded not guilty.
Tom Rice, prosecuting, has told the jury “there is no such person” as Dr John Coyle and the nine claims documents, for various amounts from $1,900 to $4,800, were forged with the intent to defraud.
Patrick Enright worked at Nylerin, the Castleisland branch of the insurance company, between 1988 and 1994 before becoming a solicitor, Mr Rice said.
The prosecution yesterday heard from Mary Sheehan-Dennehy, a claims examiner with Nylerin in Castleisland, who was processing a claim dated July 18th, 1994, for a knee injury for $2,780. There was a letter with it stating that the claimant had moved to West 32nd Street.
“From my memory,” Ms Sheehan-Dennehy said, “I had got similar paper work the day before [from a different insured person] and I had gone in and changed the address to exactly the same as here.” She said “something was not right”.
Scrutinising further records, she also found that in April 1994, a third insured person had also requested his address be changed, to West 32nd Street.
That person also suffered a knee injury and the payment was being claimed by Dr John Coyle of Eighth Avenue.