New Jersey

New Jersey Cop Arrested in Alleged Insurance Fraud

A New Jersey police officer has been arrested, accused of collecting thousands of dollars in disability benefits she wasn't entitled to, according to the Union County prosecutor's office. 

The Elizabeth Police Department officer, 39-year-old Alana Velazquez of Rahway, was served at the police department headquarters Wednesday morning, and released pending a September 27 court appearance.

Prosecutors say Velazquez was injured on the job in January 2016. She had a supplemental insurance policy that didn't cover injuries on the job -- but she submitted documents containing false and forged information that indicated she was hurt while working. 

Velazquez allegedly received $8,600 in disability benefits to which she wasn't entitled as a result of the alleged fraud, prosecutors say. She could be sentenced up to 5 to 10 years in prison if convicted. 

Attorney information for Velazquez wasn't immediately available. A woman who answered the phone at the Elizabeth Police Department said she couldn't comment on the arrest and hung up. 

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