Englewood Insurance Adjuster Admits $42K Fraud

A public adjuster from Englewood admitted in court Friday to pocketing more than $42,000 in insurance payments for work that was never completed, prosecutors said Monday. 

Sheena Clarke, 59, admitted that between July 2005 and August 2010 she submitted damage claims to four insurance companies for properties in Paterson, Newark, Irvington and East Orange, when no repairs had been done, state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said in a statement. 

Clarke pleaded guilty in state Superior Court to third-degree insurance fraud for scamming the companies and clients. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 28. 

Under a plea agreement, the state will recommend she be sentenced to probation if she pays $42,519 in restitution, prosecutors said. Clarke also agreed to give up her public adjuster's license and pay $5,125 in civil penalties to state regulators. 

An Essex County Grand Jury indicted Clarke in February. Prosecutors said the claims were submitted to Philadelphia Contributorship Insurance Company, the Germantown Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Western World Insurance Company.