Bob Bolus Found Guilty of Insurance Fraud
By: Eric Deabill
Updated: March 7, 2012
Scranton, Lackawanna County - The verdict is guilty in the insurance fraud trial of a well-known businessman in Lackawanna County.
Bob Bolus has been on trial for the last three days.
It took jurors roughly one hour to deliberate and render its verdict.
As Bolus was found guilty, he shook his head in disbelief.
Besides insurance fraud, Bolus was also found guilty of conspiracy charges.
"We have a civil suit already pending in federal court against this insurance company. This doesn't belong here," Bolus said.
Jurors agreed with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office, which said Bolus submitted an "excessive" claim after one of his tow trucks was side-swiped in an accident in central Pennsylvania in 2009.
"The evidence showed there was not only a false claim presented but also a false two receipt that charged for tow truck usage by a company that never did any of the work," Senior Deputy Attorney General John Dickinson.
The "excessive" claim was only a matter of thousands of dollars but prosecutors say they hope the conviction sends a strong message.
"Pennsylvania is not going to tolerate insurance fraud no matter who commits it, whether it's a rich person, poor person, person of power," Dickinson said.
Bolus and his attorney say the charges were nothing more than a political assassination.
As he left court, Bolus, a well-known businessman who intended to expand and hire more people says he's done with those plans.
"There will be no more involvement for me in building in the area anymore. It's done," Bolus said.
Bolus faces between probation and nine months in prison for each of the two charges he was convicted on.
A sentencing date has not been set.
