As a seasoned criminal defense attorney in Broward County, Scott Saul knows about the overreach of the government when attempting to identify individuals who have filed false claims or received other financial benefits from the misuse of the insurance system. His job is to investigate his client’s case and determine all potential defenses so that he can provide a zealous defense on behalf of his client. One particular concern that a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney in Broward County like Scott Saul may have is the government’s role in rewarding individuals for reporting misconduct.

While on the surface, insurance fraud rewards may seem benign, a deeper dive into this issue reveals several problems. The Department of Financial Services Division of Insurance Fraud of Florida Implemented an Anti-Fraud Reward Program. Since this program started, it has paid out more than a quarter of a million dollars after citizens have reported insurance fraud losses over $16 million.
Individuals can report suspected cases of fraud to a hotline. If the person who is alleged to have committed insurance fraud is arrested and convicted, an application is submitted to a special committee to determine how much of an award to provide to the tipster. Qualified individuals can receive up to $25,000.

The central problem involved in situations of this nature is that people may try to gain a financial award based on fake allegations. A simple billing error may result in a “tip” that causes a reputable healthcare provider to come into question. As can be seen by a large number of calls when a reward is offered in connection to the commission of a crime, additional resources are used up tracking down what often amounts to nothing. Even when a tipster is right, he or she may not be qualified to receive the reward.
A good criminal defense attorney will evaluate your case and determine what factors resulted in your arrest. If financial gain was a motivating factor, your defense attorney can attack the credibility of the witness.