VIDEO: Eli Berger, Hershey Greenberger Arrested For Alleged Insurance Fraud
Body shop owner Berger and his employee Greenberger allegedly inflated the amount of damage done to cars and overbilled GEICO. $700,000 in cash was recovered from Berger's home.
Brooklyn, May 26, 2011 – Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes
today announced an indictment charging a Borough Park autobody shop, Perfect Collision, with intentionally damaging cars brought in for repairs, so it could submit inflated bills to insurance companies. Perfect Collision; its owner, Elie Berger; and his employee, Hershy Greenberger are charged with running a so-called “damage enhancement scheme” to over bill insurance companies by thousands of dollars.
In the indictment announced today, the defendants are charged with submitting inflated bills for repairs to a car insured by Geico, but prosecutors believe additional insurance companies and carriers may have been victimized as well. The investigation is continuing.
“These crooks thought they had found the ‘Perfect’ crime, but my Detective Investigators quickly put the brakes on, preventing another bogus collision.” said District Attorney Hynes. “Auto-insurance fraud costs Brooklyn residents hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in increased premiums, and my office will prosecute all such crimes to the fullest extent of the law. I would like to thank Geico, Esurance, and the National Insurance Crimes Bureau for their assistance in this investigation.”
To investigate Geico’s suspicion about Perfect Collision, KCDA Detective Investigators damaged a car’s front passenger-side fender, photographed the damage and brought the car to Perfect Collision. The indictment charges that Hershy Greenberger assured an undercover Detective Investigator that Geico would cover all the repair costs. When a Geico claims adjuster arrived to photograph the damage, it had been “enhanced”, according to the indictment, with another dent in the same fender and other damage. Greenberger and Berger are charged with making the additional damage to increase the bill and fraudulently charge Geico for the repairs. Perfect Collision is also charged with billing Geico more than $1,000 for a rental car, in an undercover’s name, even though the undercover told Greenberger that he did not want a rental car for the week of the repairs.
While another Geico claims adjuster was at Perfect Collision to photograph another car car, he happened to spot a minivan he had been assigned to photograph for the company the following day. Without notifying Perfect Collision, he took pictures of the minivan, which had little to no damage. The following day, when he returned to take official photographs for Geico’s records, there was new, extensive damage to the fender, driver side door and other areas, according to the indictment.
Detective Investigators executing search warrants on Perfect Collision and Berger’s home recovered more than $700,000 in cash, a 2011 application for public assistance claiming Berger earned $350 per week as an employee of Perfect Collision, and business records. Evidence recovered in the searches will be used to investigate other crimes the defendants may have committed, including insurance fraud and welfare fraud. The investigation is continuing.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
The case was investigated by Detective Investigator Glen Kenny, supervised by Deputy Chief Rackets Investigator Greg Deboer. Joseph Ponzi is Chief Rackets Investigator.
The case is being prosecuted by Joseph A. DiBenedetto, Rackets Division Deputy Bureau Chief. Michael Vecchione is Chief of the Rackets Division.
~~~~~~~
Related Post: Exclusive: Two Arrested In Borough Park Insurance Scam.
[Hat Tip for the video: 613 Enforcer.]
Brooklyn, May 26, 2011?
Do you mean June 23 or 22nd?
Posted by: 613enforcer | June 23, 2011 at 11:54 AM
its hard to tell whether he should face prison if convicted, since the article doesnt mention if he has a beard and kippa.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 23, 2011 at 12:05 PM
Berger’s home recovered more than $700,000 in cash, a 2011 application for public assistance claiming Berger earned $350 per week as an employee
well given his fine working relationship with geico, i can only assume he was buddies with warren buffett, whose berkshire hathaway owns geico. and if berger lived frugally, he might have been able to save $30 a week from his salary. if he invested that money with buffett, it might have taken only 100 years to save $700,000 . so lets not jump to any hasty conclusions.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 23, 2011 at 12:14 PM
now i am starting to understand how people in boro park can afford living in these mansions.
Posted by: jewland | June 23, 2011 at 12:21 PM
even if he is guilty of many crimes if i find out he used fifty dollars of the money to help a jewish cause i will begin working on a pidyon shvuyim fund. does anyone have lewins number ?
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 23, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Oh Baby! Paging Ben Brafman!
Posted by: ex-Shmunsey-ite | June 23, 2011 at 12:27 PM
he is a very big baal tzedaka!!!! and helped every person in need.
Posted by: go figure me out | June 23, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Berger’s home recovered more than $700,000 in cash, a 2011 application for public assistance claiming Berger earned $350 per week as an employee
what balls making a mint of fraud and then having no shame and collecting money as a poor person
A true hero he will be in the frum community.Pidyan shiveim will start some concerts and rallies.
No shame in the community
I was ripped off years ago by a frum auto collision I told my friends and they said he is known thief yest no one cared.
So I did what I had to do reported him and I assume others did and they raided his place and found massive fraud.
he was a very frum person who sat up front in his black hat shul. In the community he is still a heligie yid
strange
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 12:31 PM
he is a very big baal tzedaka!!!! and helped every person in need.
Posted by: go figure me out | June 23, 2011 at 12:30 PM
I hope your joking.
so did many mafia bosses and the Columbia Drug cartel and hamas
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 12:35 PM
eli its vary good for u
after u ript of 1000's of ppl
in boro park
Posted by: sdfs | June 23, 2011 at 01:03 PM
“These crooks thought they had found the ‘Perfect’ crime, but my Detective Investigators quickly put the brakes on, preventing another bogus collision.” said District Attorney Hynes.
This guy should be removed from his office just for being so corny.
Posted by: knaker | June 23, 2011 at 01:12 PM
"Joseph Ponzi is Chief Rackets Investigator."
LOL!
Posted by: Office of the Chief Rabbi | June 23, 2011 at 01:16 PM
PERP WALK
http://youtu.be/QfYD2S9aqt8
Posted by: 613enforcer | June 23, 2011 at 01:29 PM
Nothing new its business as usual for body shops.
Posted by: Deremes | June 23, 2011 at 01:51 PM
How come Hynes was allowed to act against haredim ?
Posted by: Bassy the Haredi Slayer | June 23, 2011 at 01:52 PM
I am beginning to wonder that maybe frum yiddin
is just a front or an act for a mafia family
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 02:02 PM
as long as theyre not gay i dont mind them wearing yarmulkes for the perp walk.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 23, 2011 at 02:06 PM
A real headline should read : Boro park Chasid not arrested in Insurance scam....
But the Gecko will now take his revenge as a sheretz can .
Posted by: schneur | June 23, 2011 at 02:08 PM
Sickening
Posted by: Guest | June 23, 2011 at 02:15 PM
"as long as theyre not gay i dont mind them wearing yarmulkes for the perp walk.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus |June 23, 2011 at 02:06 PM"'
He got caught with a crime.
Did he make a video saying that i am proud with the crime and encouraging other people to do the same in not being ashamed of stealing?
Whatever anyone would want you to believe he is not being greeted as a hero this shabbos.
Unlike gay people are being encouraged to come out and telling the whole world that they are proud and claiming what they do is not wrong according to the Torah.Disgusting
Posted by: Deremes | June 23, 2011 at 02:39 PM
I was involved twice in accidents and both time the collision shop I went too did the same thing all the shops do this this guy just happened to get caught
Posted by: geust | June 23, 2011 at 02:43 PM
Perfect Collision Body Shop added extra damage to vehicles for more insurance money: prosecutors
BY Orev Yaniv
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, June 23rd 2011, 2:20 PM
Brooklyn prosecutors put the brakes on a pair of auto body bamboozlers who added extra damage to vehicles then over-billed insurers.
"The fraud was very clear here," District Attorney Charles Hynes said Thursday of the alleged scam at Perfect Collision in Borough Park. "The defendants were taking cars with minor damage and enhancing that."
Arrested were owner Elie Berger, 32, and his employee, Hershy Greenberger, 23.
They are accused of pounding vehicles with hammers and chisels to compound blemishes and increase their profit margin.
They would then cash refund checks from insurers and pocket the money, officials charged. When investigators raided Berger's home, they found more than $700,000 in cash - even though he had filed for public assistance. This and other findings will likely lead to more charges of tax and welfare fraud, prosecutors said.
Both mechanics were still slapped with a truckload of counts, including insurance fraud and grand larceny.
Prosecutors asked for a whopping $500,000 bail, but Berger was released on a $25,000 bond and Greenberger was freed without bail.
The courtroom was packed with more than 100 supporters from their Hasidic community.
Perfect Collision body shop operated for two years and was under investigation for most of that period, officials said, after sharp-eyed Geico assessors noticed vehicles with dubious dents.
Claim adjusters took before and after photos of the cars to prove the racket.
This type of scheme "saddles other New Yorkers with a fraud tax," Hynes noted.
Posted by: 613enforcer | June 23, 2011 at 02:47 PM
I am also surprised that Charles Hynes took action against frumma.
Once the publicity dies down, I'll bet he will allow them to plea and get a slap on the wrist. It is verboten for Hynes to take any action against frumma crooks.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 23, 2011 at 04:00 PM
Lying, cheating, and stealing is fine, you can still wear your finest black hat on Shabbos, sit up front by the omed and get shlishi, just as long as you don't announce that you are gay.
You can be sure these frumma crooks will be hailed as heros this coming Shabbos in their shuls. I hope they are not gay, because that will ruin everything.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 23, 2011 at 04:32 PM
this eli is a GANAV he makes all frum yiden look bad chulel hasham sham on him
Posted by: binyumen | June 23, 2011 at 05:02 PM
he can be aa pedophile. as long as he is not gay.
Posted by: deremes is sheker | June 23, 2011 at 05:21 PM
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
Posted by: to all | June 23, 2011 at 05:54 PM
deremes
Whatever anyone would want you to believe he is not being greeted as a hero this shabbos.
___________________________________________
you either are a lair or maybe never went to shul in your whole life to make such a stupid comment
read the daily news
The courtroom was packed with more than 100 supporters from their Hasidic community.
and that was only on the same day they where arrested 100 people within hours of arrest.
amazing. you cannot get 100 people in a year to back up a victim from molestation.
They sure do show their true colors.
crime is ok, fraud is a mizhvha
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 06:01 PM
Did he make a video saying that i am proud with the crime and encouraging other people to do the same in not being ashamed of stealing? Posted by: Deremes
you missed the point. they didnt do anything to show they were proud of their actions, but they both felt the need to wear kippot, which screams to the world how proud they are to be superjews. the least they could do is put it in their pocket until out of public view.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 23, 2011 at 06:04 PM
also, how can anyone be proud of actions that hurt other people? gays dont hurt anyone by being gay. theres no reason for them not to be as proud of who they are as anyone else.
i do agree that they shouldnt be looking to orthos for validation.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 23, 2011 at 06:07 PM
this eli is a GANAV he makes all frum yiden look bad chulel hasham sham on him
Posted by: binyumen
kinda reminds me of someone named Rubashkin - just can't remember his first name, Moshe? Sholom? ... there are so many.
Posted by: state of disgust | June 23, 2011 at 06:12 PM
the chutzpa and nerve to go to apply for public assistance with all that money 700 thousand they found in his house is mind buggling it just goes to show what most of us keep on writing here that they are super crooks with sec.8 food stams etc. this is what our jewish religion became creating super cheats for the whole goyishe world to see i am ashamed of our religion.
Posted by: jancsipista | June 23, 2011 at 06:31 PM
leaves 700k at home while collecting PA how stupid can people be
Posted by: The Real Joe | June 23, 2011 at 07:22 PM
UPDATED VIDEO BORO PARK:
COPS BUST 2 HASSIDIC AUTO INSURANCE FRAUDSTERS
http://youtu.be/OemiPkVUQCM
Cops put brakes on 2 BK auto-shop fraud suspects
(06/23/11) BROOKLYN - Police say two people have been arrested for fraud after allegedly damaging cars at a Borough Park auto shop to get bigger payouts from insurance companies.
Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes says auto-insurance company GEICO alerted his office about the alleged racket at Perfect Collision on 60th Street, prompting an investigation. He says a raid at owner Elie Berger's home then turned up $700,000 in cash.
Prosecutors say Berger faces 14 years behind bars if convicted. His alleged accomplice, Hershy Greenberger, faces up to seven years.
Posted by: 613ENFORCER | June 23, 2011 at 08:01 PM
I know Elie and Hershy, I've used perfect collision twice with two company cars. He assured me at the time that he didn't enhance the claims and that my insurance premiums would not go up. After realizing the huge sums he charged the insurance companies, I took my business elsewhere.
I believe that besides stealing, it's naivete. Any sane person would know, if you make every insurance claim $10,000 eventually the insurance companies will catch up with you.
Posted by: Former Skverer | June 23, 2011 at 08:02 PM
EYEWITNESS NEWS (WABC) PICK UP THE STORY
http://youtu.be/15W44DW27aQ
Posted by: 613ENFORCER | June 23, 2011 at 08:21 PM
The entire auto colision business is rife with fraud, as are all third-party payer systems. When the consumer does not have to lay out anything from their pocket, and everything gets paid by an insurance company there is bound to be hanky panky. I venture to say that most insurance claims are padded.
What is the difference between this case and what happens every day with doctors who order uneccessary tests and procedures in order to collect insurance money. Many prestigous medical practices survive this way.
The whole third-party payer system runs contrary to capitalistic principals. It is therefore bound to fail.
Posted by: Forty Eighter | June 23, 2011 at 09:44 PM
I believe that besides stealing, it's naivete. Any sane person would know, if you make every insurance claim $10,000 eventually the insurance companies will catch up with you.
Posted by: Former Skverer | June 23, 2011 at 08:02 PM
thank you for not reporting them you probably cost many others including yiddin money
this is the result with the code of silence
it only benefits the crooks and cost everybody else
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 10:40 PM
of course no reporting or mention of this in the frum web sites.
This way the sheep can be lead to believe.
we are better than everybody else we do not commit crimes.
and the sheep shake their heads and agre
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 10:47 PM
i grew up around the block from this place
will check it out when I visit my mother
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 10:49 PM
What is the difference between this case and what happens every day with doctors who order uneccessary tests and procedures in order to collect insurance money.
Posted by: Forty Eighter | June 23, 2011 at 09:44 PM
most doctors aren't falsifying their income so that they can also steal welfare funds.
you've also got to realize that even if your "everyone else is doing it, why can't we?" premise were true, that there are a ton of businesses that weren't so egregious in their theft to send up red flags at Geico. they got caught because they were stealing the most. and they're stupid enough to get caught (another reason this is not like medical fraud).
Posted by: Proton Soup | June 23, 2011 at 10:55 PM
speeches that will be heard in Boro park this shabbos
every jew must show support for our holy brother berger. We cannot just let this blood libel go unanswered.
Must show achdus, so please if you have a car that needs a collision repair please bring it to perfect collusion. If you are a real god fearing Jew you will even crash your car just so you can take it to perfect collision.
I say maybe 50-100 shuls will have something similar in nature
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 10:57 PM
comment on a brooklyn web site
I'm not surprise at all about this. Almost all of THEM are doing illegal business, and probably have of them receive public assistance. I used to work for one of THEM...his store was burglarized and before police and insurance company came to see the scene all remain items were locate in their friends stores. THEY receive a lot of money from insurace company!!!. THEY cover each other...claim they earn little money and rest of salary getting in cash...this way they have food stamps and all public assistance. I love when THEY pay with food stamps and load THEIR staff to the 900$ baby strollersor brand new mini vans!!!
Posted by: seymour | June 23, 2011 at 11:01 PM
Ringleader will get 3 years and 500k fine. Will pay geico 500k retribution.
Meanwhile the bankers who stole multi-millions were never prosecuted.
Posted by: Critical minyan | June 23, 2011 at 11:20 PM
Seymour, ad stranga ad it may sound to you, the Torah can simultaneously hold these perps to b guilty (assuming they are convicted - whatever happened to presumption of innocence, etc? Oh silly me, they appear to b frum, so they must b guilty!) Of the most heinous sin ie chillul hashem, and yet loshon horo laws prevent frum publications from publicizing their misdeeds. Hence, we have a surreal situation whereby all appears to be rosy in the charedi garden (which, despite my personal affiliation, it ckearly isnt) if u read the frum papers, and all appears to be rotten if u read this blog - the truth is somewhere in the middle. As William James put it so well " when people say they are thinking, in all probability they are merely rearranging their prejudices" we adopt a personal position that is in line with our personal views and behaviour, and then choose to reinforce it by selectively highlighting certain facts, conveniently ignoring those that don't fit in with our preconceptions. This blog is a perfect example - a soapbox for the disaffected. I am a haredi rabbi, and woyld argue that these perps are not truly frum, not that this is an excuse, it is a damning indictment of aspects of the system. But I will not accept the throwing out of the baby with the bathwater. Ok, rant over, thanks for listening!
Posted by: dimlat | June 24, 2011 at 02:44 AM
Is he Eli Berger from Shomrim?
Posted by: Guest | June 24, 2011 at 06:00 AM
Posted by: dimlat | June 24, 2011 at 02:44 AM
I grew up in that community. It never was an issue for that some frum steal since no community is perfect.
what the issue foir me and many others is the reaction from the community. They protect these criminals as if they are persecuted simply because they are Jews.
They still will get many kovods in shul and if nothing happened I see it all the time
Posted by: seymour | June 24, 2011 at 07:25 AM
What is the difference between this case and what happens every day with doctors who order uneccessary tests and procedures in order to collect insurance money.
Posted by: Forty Eighter | June 23, 2011 at 09:44 PM
and what is the point? That it is ok and it is no big deal.
explain please
Posted by: seymour | June 24, 2011 at 07:26 AM
'The system' and 'third party payers' are not to blame.
Crooks are to blame. There will always be crooked repair men and crooked service providers of all kinds.
The additional problem here is that the frum community celebrates such behavior. Pulling one over on some nonJewish company is considered a praiseworthy accomplishment. There is never any real shame in the frum community, only the shame of being caught.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 24, 2011 at 08:40 AM
I always love the excuse the frum use well everybody does it.
But they are full of it, since they only apply that excuse concerning financial fraud
I know this because of this story I will keep it short
when I was in my yeshiva day the yeshivas where scamming the government with many programs. some of the programs needed the student to sign papers. everybody signed except me.
Of course I got called into the office to see why i did not sign. I said I will not sign for two reason.
One I know this is a scam
two If I scam I want the money.
The rosh yeshiva said look you think everybody is honest.
the goyim do the same thing. The shawzter do it. the PR do it and so on. Why should we not get our piece of the pie too.
I got and and said thank you I have been waiting for that answer and started walking out o9f the office.
where are you going the rebbie asked. I said a movie.
He shouted a bein Torah does not go to a movie.
I said the goyim do the same thing. The shawzter do it. the PR do it and so on. Why should i not have fun too.
i got kick out for a bout 3 weeks from yeshiva
Posted by: seymour | June 24, 2011 at 09:56 AM
Dimlat,
Frum papers and 'news' websites have no problem publishing the names of nonreligious Jews and nonJews who are accused of crimes.
The Torah is used as an excuse to cover up for frumma criminals.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 24, 2011 at 09:58 AM
B"H
Seymour for the 1st time I of all of your posts I think this is a good one.
It is easy to fall into that mentality and we should hold OURSELVES to a higher standard. BUT no one else should hold US to a higher standard.
ie: You are right to question the hypocrisy in the system. I hope you personally are totally honest, etc. as well.
BUT -- if a frum guy does something wrong he should not be expected to beg a judge for a long sentence for penance. You have to expect the lawyer and the defendant will make the case he is an upstanding citizen, etc.
Posted by: Simple Jew | June 24, 2011 at 10:02 AM
Simple Jew, if you wear the 'uniform' of a frum guy, people will expect you to act like a person who believes and practices God's Law.
If a frum guy gets in trouble for doing something he shouldn't have, he should keep quiet and let his attorney handle it, not use his religion as an excuse, not accuse everyone of antisemitism as a smokescreen.
It would also be best if he removed his yarmulke, shaved his beard, and not wear the 'uniform' in court, so as not to make the Chilul Hashem any worse than it needs to be. (That was the Rebbe's advice to someone many years ago.)
Rubashkin made it a point to wear his kapoteh to court every day, and carry a portrait of the Rebbe, to maximize the frum angle.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 24, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Is he Eli Berger from Shomrim?
Posted by: Guest | June 24, 2011 at 06:00 AM
Yes.
Posted by: Shmarya | June 24, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 24, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Posted by: Simple Jew | June 24, 2011 at 10:02 AM
let us not forget the community response like in this case 100 hasideim showed up for support
the berger guy is not a great chilul hasem and not a great cause of antisemitism
however when 100 people show up that is a major chilul hashem and a major cause of antisemitism.
The cause of antisemitism is not the secular Jews but the ultra frum and their sick actions
Posted by: seymour | June 24, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Seymour, good point.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 24, 2011 at 10:48 AM
@: seymour | June 24, 2011 at 09:56 AM
great story.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
I would like to suggest the possibility that the $700K was not his money, but perhaps charity money or loan money for others. The reason I say this is because the theory that he skimmed this money off the top from his business belies the fact that nearly 100% of his income comes from insurance companies where everything is on the books and he has no way to hide it. So, despite what he is accused of doing to defraud insurance companies, I think we should be fair and open to the idea that another more innocent explanation is possible for the cash he had in his home, especially since it sounds as if he is a community volunteer working with others. The tzedakah funds are probably huge in Brooklyn. Let's give him the benefit of the doubt on this part of the story
Posted by: Anonymous | June 24, 2011 at 11:20 AM
Anonymous, maybe he was going to use the money to buy the Brooklyn Bridge.
Posted by: WoolSilkCotton | June 24, 2011 at 12:23 PM
good one, WSC.
and i bet the application for welfare was just part of his homework for his english as a second language course.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 24, 2011 at 02:15 PM
great story.
Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | June 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
some things one never forgets
Posted by: seymour | June 24, 2011 at 03:46 PM
Look, what's the big deal, if others can do it, why not the Yiden, of course, don't get caught.
Posted by: Lou Fass | June 24, 2011 at 05:37 PM
The biggest disgrace is the outrageously named Yeshiva World website where not only do they not report this story, but they also ban any discussion of it.
Posted by: O'Dwyer | June 24, 2011 at 07:20 PM
The reason for anti Semitism is the whole Yahweh chosen people myth.
It is also the reason for Jewish crime of all sorts.
Jews need to assimilate into the general population. The walls between people are breaking thanks to the global economy and communications.
Jews should be the first to move on and move up and move away from tribalism.
Posted by: Ya Way No Way (Former Jew) | June 26, 2011 at 01:42 AM