Laguna Hills Adjuster Arrested in Quake-Related Fraud

An insurance adjuster is suspected of filing phony claims in the names of Northridge earthquake victims and bilking their insurer of nearly $135,000.

The adjuster, Robert Charles Granito, 53, was arrested at his Laguna Hills home early Thursday, according to Candysse Miller, spokeswoman for the state Department of Insurance.

He is being held in lieu of $200,000 bail in Orange County Jail on suspicion of 22 counts of insurance fraud, grand theft, embezzlement, money laundering and forgery, she said.

The crimes carry a possible 10-year prison term.

The case is thought to be the first of its kind since the Northridge quake in January 1994.

“First it was the contractors everyone was having problems with. Now here we have a problem with a claims adjuster,” Miller said. The case has prompted investigators to take a closer look at the profession, she said.

State insurance fraud inspectors allege that Granito used his job with 20th Century Insurance of Woodland Hills to reopen settled insurance claims. Without policyholders’ knowledge, Granito made up phony reports of additional damage to their houses, then had the new settlements sent to his own post office boxes, inspectors contend.

Although the settlements were made out to the policyholders, Granito was able to cash them by setting up bank accounts using their names and fictitious business names, Miller said.

In the three months following the earthquake, she said, Granito is thought to have filed six phony claims for which he got $134,992. He sought at least another $9,800, Miller said.

Granito was among about 300 independent insurance adjusters hired temporarily by 20th Century after the quake, said Ric Hill, spokesman for the insurer.

Routine audits uncovered problems with Granito’s claims, and prompted the company to tip off state investigators, Miller said.