Norfolk Woman Sentenced for Staging Auto Accidents

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Virginia
October 5, 2009

NORFOLK, VA—Teresa R. Gallop, age 41, of Norfolk, Virginia was sentenced today in United States District Court to a prison term of 84 months for health care fraud and making false statements relating to health care matters. A jury found Gallop, also known as Teresa R. Vick, guilty of those charges in March. Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after the sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Henry C. Morgan, Jr., who also ordered Gallop to pay restitution in the total amount of $49,111.54 to compensate the auto insurance companies who sustained losses as a result of her fraudulent conduct.

The original prison range suggested by the Sentencing Guidelines was 63-78 months. The Court deviated from that range to impose a sentence of 84 months on the basis of Gallop’s extensive criminal record, including 60 prior felony convictions, and her use of minors in staging the accidents. The evidence presented at trial showed that in each of the three staged accidents, Gallop directed her teenage son and one of his friends to deliberately collide their vehicles together at locations which she had specified in advance. In each instance, before the collision, Gallop and several minor children, including two other sons and a nephew, were driven in one of the vehicles to the staged accident location and then exited the vehicle. Gallop and the minor children would then climb into one of the vehicles and claim to have been occupants at the time of the collision. Gallop and the minors subsequently sought medical treatment even though no one was actually hurt in any of the staged accidents. Medical bills generated by the various health care providers, including doctors and hospitals, were then submitted by Gallop to the insurance companies for reimbursement. In each case, Gallop altered and fabricated some of these medical bills before she submitted them to the insurance companies. The fraudulent alterations made by Gallop included changing account numbers, amounts and dates of service. Gallop, on her own behalf and on behalf of the other participants, including the minor children, received checks from the insurance companies as a result of submitting these fraudulent personal injury claims.

The case was investigated by the Virginia State Police through its Insurance Fraud Program and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine L. Martin and Alan M. Salsbury prosecuted the case for the United States.