By Katie Curley
SALEM — A Seabrook woman has been arraigned in connection with exaggerating several insurance claims and fraudulently collecting lost wages.
Ana Keegan, 39, formerly of Haverhill, was charged with three counts of motor vehicle insurance fraud, two counts of larceny over $250, insurance fraud and attempted larceny.
The Attorney General's office began an investigation into Keegan's alleged activities after a referral was made by the Massachusetts Insurance Fraud Bureau. Authorities allege that in August 2002, Keegan suffered legitimate injuries from a dog-biting incident and received a settlement from her insurer, State Farm.
Investigators then discovered Keegan sustained additional injuries as the result of an auto accident in February 2003, at which time she reported her injuries to MetLife Auto & Home Insurance. Authorities allege that in an effort to embellish her claims with MetLife, Keegan also cited the injuries she sustained from her previously settled August 2002 claim pertaining to the dog bite and lost wages from a nonexistent job.
MetLife paid Keegan $20,000 in compensation for her total injuries and purported loss of wages as result of the accident. According to authorities, at the time of the accident, Keegan claimed to be employed at John D's Deli, a restaurant/bar that closed in July 2002, before any of the alleged injuries occurred.
In addition, authorities allege that on three separate instances, occurring on various dates in April 2003, September 2004 and January 2005, Keegan embellished insurance claims as the result of minor motor vehicle accidents citing the injuries, medical reports and loss of wage claims from the August 2002 and February 2003 settlements.
An Essex Grand Jury retuned indictments against Keegan on June 12, and yesterday Keegan was arraigned in Essex Superior Court, at which time she entered a plea of not guilty and was released on personal recognizance.
Keegan is due back in court Aug. 26 for a pretrial conference. Essex Superior Court Judge Richard Welch III presided over the arraignment.
