D.A. accuses Frankford
man of cheating auto insurers

District Attorney Lynne Abraham on Nov. 13 announced the arrest of a Frankford man who allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars from auto insurers by filing more than 60 bogus accident claims.
Keith Lewis, 41, of the 5400 block of Erdrick St., has been charged with 62 counts of insurance fraud, as well as dozens of counts of theft, attempted theft, identity theft and related offenses.
Between 1999 and this year, Lewis obtained multiple car insurance policies from at least seven different companies on a series of vehicles owned by him and a girlfriend, Abraham said. The charges allege that Lewis would make down payments on the policies with bogus checks, then immediately file claims on the policies before the insurers had determined that his earlier payments were invalid.
Investigators believe that Lewis based his claims on pre-existing damage to his vehicles. Meanwhile, in 22 incidences, Lewis allegedly made claims on an insurance policy that he had obtained using a stolen identity.
Of the 62 claims identified by investigators, insurers denied 45 worth in excess of $120,000 combined, Abraham said. But insurers approved 17 of the allegedly fraudulent claims and paid Lewis $29,000.
Each of the 62 insurance fraud counts and 34 other felony counts against Lewis is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine. He is also charged with 67 misdemeanors. ••