‘ghost broker’ | 

Man who referred others to buy false insurance policies given two-year suspended sentence

The court heard that Titov was the middle man who referred people from within the Moldovan community to the main culprit or ‘ghost broker’

Yesterday at 18:30

A man who referred others to buy false insurance policies has been given a two-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Victor Titov (48) of Ardbrae Park, Vevay Road, Bray, Co Wicklow, pleaded guilty to three sample counts representing 14 charges of fraud, carried out on dates between March 2015 and June 2017.

At a hearing today, the court heard that Titov was the middle man who referred people from within the Moldovan community to the main culprit or “ghost broker”, Egidijus Aleliunas.

Aleliunas (43) of Paddocks Way, Adamstown, Lucan, was sentenced to five years in prison in February, after he admitted to money laundering, deception and fraud offences over a seven-year period.

Aleliunas made almost €500,000 from selling false insurance policies while Titov made between €500 and €700 over a period of 18 to 24 months, earning €50 for each person he referred to Aleliunas.

The court heard that Titov was responsible for losses of almost €7,000 incurred by seven policy holders whom he had referred to Aleliunas.Judge Martin Nolan said Titov must have known, or else was reckless, as to what the main culprit was doing.

Gda Carey said the insurance policies were legitimate but based on false information about drivers’ licences, employment details and no claims bonuses.

Dominic McGinn SC, defending, said Titov believed that he was helping people to get cheaper insurance but that he recognised “in hindsight” that it wasn’t legitimate.

“He was defrauded by Aleliunas as much as the insurance brokers and policy holders were,” claimed Mr McGinn, describing Titov as a family man who had a long work history in car mechanics.

Titov has been in Ireland for nearly 20 years.

He referred a total of seven customers to Aleliunas to buy false insurance policies, the court heard.