Story by Ethan
On January 2nd, 2025, the arrest of Agustine Matos, Kenia Ivonne Vasquez, Keyra Carlo Liriano, and Patricio Artuo Alfonso, ages 40, 44, 45, and 46, was announced by Acting Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. All four defendants were charged with second-degree Conspiracy, second-degree Insurance Fraud, third-degree Impersonation/Theft of Identity, and fourth-degree Falsifying/Tampering with Records. In addition to these charges Keyra Carlo Liriano was also served with a third-degree Theft by Deception charge. The arrest and charges against Agustine Matos, Kenia Ivonne Vasquez, Keyra Carlo Liriano, and Patricio Artuo Alfonso were a result of an investigation handled by the Office of Insurance Fraud Protection and the Special Investigation Unit of American International Group Inc.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the Special Investigation Unit of American International Group Inc. sent a referral to the Office of Insurance Fraud Protection (OIFP) about the defendants and the accusations against them. From April 2022 until August 2023 the defendants had allegedly opened numerous insurance policies in Bergen County, Hudson County, Passaic County, New York, and other various locations. All the policies filed by the defendants were for the same destination, all using false identities and linked them together with the same credit card information. Allegedly while filing the claims the defendants each claimed to have needed to spend thousands of dollars due to hospitalization abroad. These costs were covered by travel insurance, however the defendants allegedly contradicted this with identical information claiming that they received no coverage for their medical expenses.
The OIFP’s investigation into the defendants’ claims revealed that none of them had traveled abroad as they had alleged. It was also discovered that nearly every document submitted to insurance companies had been either fraudulent or completely falsified. While the majority of insurance companies refused to pay the defendants, two carriers would distribute payments to them totaling $14,835. Allegedly the four defendants defrauded the insurance companies for a total sum of $252,852; Agustine Matos allegedly stole $19,986,Kenia Ivonne Vasquez allegedly stole $27,812,Keyra Carlo Liriano allegedly stole $37,226 , andPatricio Artuo Alfonso allegedly stole $167,829.
The Attorney General’s Office stated that the charges against Agustine Matos, Kenia Ivonne Vasquez, Keyra Carlo Liriano, and Patricio Artuo Alfonso are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
