Man who referred people to buy false insurance policies gets a suspended term

A man who referred others to buy false insurance policies has been given a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Victor Titov (48) of Ardbrae Park, Vevay Road, Bray, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to three sample counts representing 14 charges of fraud, carried out on dates between March 2015 and June 2017.

At a hearing yesterday, the court heard that Titov was the middle man who referred people from within the Moldovan community to the main culprit or “ghost broker”, Egidijus Aleliunas.

Aleliunas (43) of Paddocks Way, Adamstown, Lucan, was sentenced to five years in prison in February, after he admitted to money laundering, deception and fraud offences over a seven-year period.

Aleliunas made almost €500,000 from selling false insurance policies while Titov made between €500 and €700 over a period of 18 to 24 months, earning  €50 for each person he referred to Aleliunas.

The court heard that Titov was responsible for losses of almost €7,000 incurred by seven policy holders whom he had referred to Aleliunas.

Three other co-accused, all relatives of Aleliunas, previously received suspended sentences of two years for their roles in the bogus scheme which was valued at €4 million overall.

Judge Martin Nolan said Titov must have known, or else was reckless, as to what the main culprit was doing.

He said Titov was well-known in the Moldovan community, had a good work history and family responsibilities and was probably unlikely to reoffend.

But he added that Titov should have known that Aleliunas was engaged in fraud, in which he participated.

Detective Garda John Carey told Gráinne O’Neill BL, prosecuting, that “ghost broker” is a colloquial term used to describe fraudsters who lure people with the promise of cheaper insurance.

The court heard that Titov did not carry out the functions of a ghost broker himself, but acted as the intermediary in the scheme, referring people to Aleliunas and thereby facilitating the fraud.

Gda Carey said the insurance policies were legitimate but based on false information about drivers’ licences, employment details and no claims bonuses.

Dominic McGinn SC, defending, said Titov believed that he was helping people to get cheaper insurance but that he recognised “in hindsight” that it wasn’t legitimate.

“He was defrauded by Aleliunas as much as the insurance brokers and policy holders were,” claimed Mr McGinn, describing Titov as a family man who had a long work history in car mechanics.

Titov has been in Ireland for nearly 20 years.

He referred a total of seven customers to Aleliunas to buy false insurance policies, the court heard.