Group of San Diego Residents Charged in Disability Insurance Fraud Scheme
In San Diego, California, five residents have been arraigned in connection with an alleged disability insurance fraud scheme. The case, investigated by the California Department of Insurance and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, centers around Tyler Andrew Liebowitz, 45, of San Diego. Liebowitz faces 15 felony counts of insurance fraud after being accused of collaborating with others to illicitly receive insurance benefits through the submission of numerous fraudulent insurance documents related to a long-term disability policy.
The scheme reportedly involved submitting fraudulent claims against the long-term disability insurance policy of Liebowitz’s mother, falsely reporting the defendants as her caregivers. Detectives uncovered 63 fraudulent claims documents and, through an analysis of claim documents, bank records, mobile phone records, and other data, identified discrepancies in the reported caregiving services. These discrepancies included payments for times when caregivers were not present, false statements regarding the amount of money paid and the hours worked, and instances where narcotics were allegedly exchanged for insurance benefits.
Dean Craig Liebowitz, 52, of Del Mar and Tyler’s brother, was also implicated in the scheme and arraigned on six felony counts of insurance fraud. Additional defendants include Ashlin Nerisa Prol, 37, arraigned on six counts of felony insurance fraud; Ali Jamal Ibrahim, 21, facing five counts; and Audra Jane Birndorf, 55, arraigned on three felony counts of insurance fraud.
Tyler Liebowitz was arrested on March 11, 2024, followed by Dean Liebowitz’s arrest on March 18, 2024. The other defendants voluntarily surrendered at their arraignments. The case is currently being prosecuted by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, marking a significant effort to address and deter insurance fraud in the region.
