Camden County Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Filing False Insurance Claim in Connection with House Fire

TRENTON – Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ), and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor (OIFP) announced today that a Camden County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to three years in prison for insurance fraud in connection with a fire that destroyed his house.

Richard Orlandini, 65, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025, before Superior Court Judge Judith Charny to one count of second-degree insurance fraud. Judge Charny imposed the sentence on March 6, 2026, in state Superior Court in Camden.

“Homeowners pay a substantial amount of money for insurance to protect what is often their biggest investment,” said Attorney General Davenport. “The system depends on everyone being an honest broker and when someone cheats the system by filing a claim for benefits to which they are not entitled, we all stand to lose.”

“The defendant in this case admitted to making false statements in an effort to obtain a financial payout from his insurance carrier,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “His attempt to secure an unearned payday failed, and today, he was held accountable for his crime.”

“Insurance fraud schemes like this undermine the integrity of the insurance system and place an unfair burden on honest policyholders,” said Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Al Garcia. “This sentence sends a clear message that insurance fraud will not be tolerated, and those who attempt to profit through deception will be held accountable.”

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Orlandini’s residence in Cherry Hill was destroyed in a fire on October 20, 2018. The residence was insured under a homeowner’s insurance policy issued by Allstate. Orlandini submitted a claim to Allstate for benefits related to the fire and hired his own public adjuster to make statements to Allstate on his behalf. Orlandini caused his public adjuster to report the first notice of loss to Allstate by telephone, stating that the fire began in a back room and that he and his wife were unsure of the cause. However, this statement was false and was made with the purpose to obtain insurance proceeds.

Orlandini also requested additional living expenses from Allstate while his home was unlivable by submitting a rental agreement that was not actually in effect at the time to obtain reimbursement. Orlandini also made false or misleading statements under oath to Allstate regarding the origin of the fire, his activities prior to the fire, and his financial situation.

In addition, Orlandini submitted a personal property claim listing items he claimed were destroyed in the fire—including designer handbags, china and crystal, Lego sets, a bicycle, and numerous ties and belts—that were not owned by him and were not present in the home before the fire. Orlandini also falsely claimed he was entitled to additional hotel accommodations at Allstate’s expense.

Overall, Orlandini made five separate false or misleading statements to obtain insurance benefits to which he knew he was not legally entitled.

The State is represented by Deputy Attorney General Alan Babbitt, under the supervision of Assistant Bureau Chief Evgeniya Sitnikova and Bureau Chief Crystal Callahan. The investigation was conducted by OIFP Detective Nicholas Esposito, under the supervision of Sgt. Brian Bunn and Deputy Chief Kelly Howard. The New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cherry Hill Fire Marshal’s Office, the Cherry Hill Police Department, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) assisted with the investigation. Interim Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Garcia thanked his staff for their work on this case, all partnering agencies, and Allstate Insurance Company and the National Insurance Crime Bureau for its cooperation in the investigation.

OIFP’s mission includes coordination of all anti-insurance fraud activities statewide, and many successful prosecutions are a result of initial anonymous tips. If you suspect insurance fraud or have information about a potential case, OIFP wants to hear from you. You can report fraud anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD or visiting www.NJInsurancefraud.org. State regulations permit a reward to be paid to eligible persons who provide information that leads to an arrest, prosecution, and conviction for insurance fraud.

Defense counsel:
David Snyder Esq., Cherry Hill, New Jersey

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