Pennsylvania AG charges Monroeville insurance agents for scamming clients out of thousands
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - A Monroeville-based insurance agent is facing multiple charges for scamming people out of an estimated $60,000.
According to Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry, 47-year-old Chad Skena is facing charges of theft and access device fraud for allegedly running the scam between 2020 and 2022.
Skena was the operator of Chad G. Skena Insurance Agency and was offering customers a money-saving service that did not exist. Skena took as much as $24,000 from one client and $60,000 in total from his policyholders.
"This defendant's predatory actions allegedly cost consumers thousands of dollars - consumers who thought they were being offered discounts," Attorney General Henry said. "The investigation showed that the defendant tried to dodge victims who wanted their money back...until the police became involved. Insurance fraud is a serious crime that drives up costs and premiums for all Pennsylvanians."
The investigation found that between August 2020 and March 2020 Skena allegedly took payments that were supposed to go toward insurance policies and instead deposited them into his personal account. He took payments ranging from $800 to $24,000.
He then allegedly contacted customers of his agency to offer them a bundle or special COVID-19 rates to save them money.
When the money was taken for more than what was agreed upon, he told them it was accidentally charged but did not provide a refund until the police intervened.
Skena was arraigned on Tuesday and released on non-monetary bail.