Cat trial: veterinarian faked pet mishaps for insurance money
An unusual insurance fraud has been uncovered by Moscow police officers - a criminal group insured and then falsified the deaths of pets and veterinary operations for the sake of payments. The investigation believes that the scam would have been impossible without the help of someone from the insurance company. Details - in the material "Izvestia".
Operated on paper
A series of facts of fraud in the calculation of insurance payments found specialists "AlfaStrakhovanie" after the inspection of the company "Mango", the portfolio of contracts which was transferred to "Alfa" in the summer of 2022. The Mango startup offered various insurance services in a simplified remote format, including online pet insurance against accidents, injuries, ticks, illness and death. The fraud group likely found a vulnerability in the algorithm for receiving insurance payments. The attackers forged surgical operation protocols, pet death certificates, test results and receipts for veterinary services (in each case for more than 50 thousand rubles), as well as other documents necessary to confirm the insured event. By deception they managed to obtain insurance certificates from the IC, on the basis of which they received transfers from "Mango".
"Izvestia" knows about at least ten episodes of criminal activity - all of them were committed in the period from March to April 2021. On paper, the fraudsters operated and buried cats Zephyrka, Malvina, cats Fedya, Fufik, Ant, Marley, dogs Graf, Noir, Venus, Nord and Mephistopheles. The documents included terrible diagnoses and surgeries that did not always end successfully for the animal. Each appeal on the insurance case brought the fraudsters 50 thousand rubles. So far in the case the amount of damage is over a million rubles, but the investigation continues. It is possible that other episodes of criminal activity of the group will be discovered.
If at least a few animals, appearing in the case, were real, the evidence base will require a forensic examination of each such case.
- During the examination, a forensic expert can examine the animal, establish whether there were indeed injuries indicated in the issued veterinary documents for the animal, as well as determine the nature of their localization, age, method of infliction," Olga Kudinova, forensic veterinary expert of the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Center for Forensic Expertise "RUBICON" told "Izvestia". - The expert's conclusion will be evidence in a criminal case.
The institute of pet insurance has appeared quite recently, so it is not easy to assess its popularity now, but in any case, the service has consumers, says the head of the organization "Zoopravo", lawyer Anastasia Fedyunina.
- This option may come in handy for persons who carry out air transportation of their pets. The cost of animals may vary from several tens of thousands to several million rubles. We often meet cases when during transportation the animal either gets a serious injury or dies. Here, of course, pet insurance is very relevant.
Gone with the seals
The main figure in the investigation - a resident of the Moscow region, 36-year-old veterinarian Vladlena Podporina. By the way, the woman changed her last name several times, in the community of veterinarians and animal lovers she is also known as Pozharnitskaya and Kondratenko. On one of the thematic sites indicated that previously she worked in the veterinary clinic "Faithful Friend", details of which were used in several episodes of insurance fraud. However, one of the reviews on behalf of the administration of the clinic "Faithful Friend", dated September 13, 2022, reports that this citizen has nothing to do with their clinic.
"From the administration of the veterinary clinic "Verny Friend" would like to warn all pet owners that this "doctor" Pozharnitskaya (Kondratenko) Vladlena Yurievna for more than six years has nothing to do with the veterinary clinic "Verny Friend". Working in our clinic, she stole money, as well as documents and made copies of seals, which was reported to the competent authorities, also we were approached by the insurance company, which she repeatedly deceived, using our clinic in fraudulent actions, which was also reported to the police and the investigation is underway. Be vigilant", - stated in the message.
"Vredvrach"
Owners of animals in the reviews complained about the low professionalism of the figurehead of the investigation as a veterinarian: "disemboweled the cat, diagnosed incorrectly. The suture did not heal, the stitches were made "over the edge". The animal was dying. I informed her about it, she just hung up the phone and interrupted communication. Saved by a doctor in whose clinic she was interning." In 2019, Podporina-Pozharnitskaya-Kondratenko was complained to the Moscow veterinary inspection and law enforcement agencies. Also in the reviews indicated that the woman worked without a price list for services, and took money on a personal card by transfer.
The fake certificates and protocols, according to the investigation, also used the details of such clinics as Vet City Center, VetProfAlliance, NewVetPro, Sputnik, ZOOVET, Provet-Kaputsin and others.
Izvestia got through to the clinic "Vorontsova VTSHOT", the details of which were also used by the alleged fraudster. The administration explained that such certificates are usually issued personally by the head doctor and these are isolated cases. At the request of Izvestia, the head of the animal hospital raised the archive and assured that no certificates were issued to the Mango insurance company for the pets involved in the investigation.
Unidentified persons from among the employees of Mango Insurance Company are also under suspicion, according to the investigation materials.
