Vet jailed for £200,000 pet claims con

A vet who conned insurers out of almost £200,000 by making claims for treatment of non-existent pets has been jailed for two years.

Matthew Morgan made 53 bogus claims to four insurers – Direct Line, Allianz’s Petplan and QBE’s Pet Protect – for cats and dogs he claimed had undergone surgery.

He sent the insurers invoices from the veterinary practice in Kent where he worked and used the payouts to buy expensive holidays and electronics.

The City of London police’s insurance fraud enforcement department (IFED) began a criminal investigation in October when a claim to Direct Line for surgery on a cat named Jo was identified as fraudulent.

In an interview with IFED detectives on new year’s eve, Morgan admitted that the claim to Direct Line was phony, but said he had not made any other fake claims.

Morgan was arrested after he phoned Pet Protect 15 days later to chase up a claim he had made for surgery on a cat called Dizzie.

Detectives searched his home and workplace and found documents that led them to uncover further fraudulent claims.

IFED’s financial investigator later examined Morgan’s bank account and found payments from Petplan, Pet Protect and one other insurer totalling almost £200,000.

Morgan was charged with, and later pleaded guilty to, four counts of fraud by false representation, in that he made 53 fraudulent claims to four insurers with a total value of £226,360.67.

Morgan was this morning sentenced at the Old Bailey to two years in prison for each count of fraud by false representation, which will run concurrently.

“Morgan was paid a good salary to help sick animals, but over three years he systematically abused his position to claim massive payouts for surgeries on pets that did not exist. His sole motivation was to maintain an image of being a successful vet through the portrayal of an extravagant lifestyle,” said detective sergeant Craig Mullish, who ran IFED’s investigation.

Edd Barclay, head of pet insurance at Direct Line, said: “We are pleased to have been able to help the police by bringing this fraudster to justice. Our customers trust veterinary practitioners with the welfare of their much loved pets and as a consumer champion, Direct Line has zero tolerance for fraudulent or exaggerated claims.”