A Glens Falls man has been arrested for allegedly presenting false insurance certificates to a Queensbury contractor.

Nicholas J. Degregory, 47, of Harrison Ave. was charged after an investigation into a report from the New York State Insurance Fund.  New York State law requires sub contractors provide proof of workers compensation insurance on building projects in New YorkState.

Degregory was charged with fifth degree insurance fraud, a misdemeanor; and two felony counts of second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

The complaints against Degregory allege that he presented forged insurance certificates on Jan. 15, 2011 and again on Jan. 3, 2012 to a general contractor in Queensbury. The investigation found that when the contractor attempted to validate the certificates, he was advised that Degregory’s insurance had been cancelled in 2009.  As a result the general contractor was required to pay a premium of $1,010 to the New York State Insurance Fund for workers compensation coverage.”

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A Westbury contractor has been charged with forging insurance documents that falsely stated that his business had liability and workers’ compensation coverage.

Michael Ribarich, 41, was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a forged instrument. He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutors said that in May 2010, Ribarich’s company, Advantage Remodeling, Inc., was hired as a subcontractor to perform carpentry work at a Head of the Harbor home inSuffolkCounty. Ribarich presented the lead contractor, who hired his company, with a falsified Accord certificate that stated that he had workers’ compensation and liability insurance.

A July 2011 premium audit of the lead contractor by the New York State Insurance Fund, and subsequent investigation by the Fund’s Fraud Bureau and the DA’s Office, revealed that Ribarich’s Accord certificate was a forgery and that he has never had an insurance policy with the New York State Insurance Fund. In fact, the policy number that Ribarich used on his forged statement belonged to a painting company whose policy was cancelled in August 2009, prosecutors said.”

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