Bizarre Conspiracy Plot Unravels
Written by Joe Scotchie Friday, 17 August 2012 00:00
Massapequa men arrested on insurance fraud charges
Email messages uncovered by the wife of Raymond Roth untangled one of the more bizarre criminal attempts to come out of Long Island in recent years.On Wednesday, Aug. 15 Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced the arrest of Roth, a Massapequa resident, on counts of insurance fraud, conspiracy and falsely reporting an incident. This follows the Aug. 6 arrest of Roth’s son, Jonathan, also of Massapequa, on those same charges, plus that of making a punishable false written statement.
The drama began on July 28 when Jonathan Roth reported his father as missing in a call to Nassau County police. The younger Roth told police that his father was lost in the waters off Jones Beach, last wearing black mesh shorts. On the beach, Rice said, police found other material belonging to the elder Roth, including clothes, a wallet and a telephone, but not a driver’s license.
Federal and local authorities immediately sprang into action, with the U.S. Coast Guard, the New York State Park Police, Nassau County police, plus Bay Constables from the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay, all conducting an extensive four-day search for Raymond Roth.
However, on Aug. 1, the plot unraveled. Roth’s wife found email messages between her husband and stepson, Rice said. On the basis of those emails, Jonathan Roth was arrested. Meanwhile, on Aug. 2, Raymond Roth, while in his automobile, was pulled over by police in Santee, SC. Roth, Rice said, was identified by his driver’s license, which he had pulled out of his wallet before fleeing Jones Beach for Orlando, FL, where the latter has a timeshare. To end the drama, Rice would only say that the elder Roth had surrendered to police on the morning of Aug. 15.
The purpose of faking Roth’s death, Rice said, was for the latter to collect up to $410,000 in insurance funds. Rice said that in July, Roth, who had experienced several demotions at his job in Manhattan, had begun to harass his work colleagues with death threats. On July 20, Roth, Rice said, was fired from his job, with police from Nassau County’s Seventh Precinct confiscating his handgun. Roth, Rice added, believed that his life insurance would expire by July 31 and so the conspiracy took place before the end of the month.
When he fled New York, Rice said that Roth had hoped to relocate in Orlando to live off the insurance monies. Rice added that under the terms of the insurance policy, it was “unlikely” that any release of such a large sum of money would ever transpire.
Rice also said that video surveillance tapes actually showed father and son together on the beach on July 28, the day Jonathan Roth reported his father missing. The two traveled to Jones Beach on that day in separate cars, a fact that eluded county police since they were not told to look for an automobile, Rice said.
Rice praised the work of federal and local authorities. She also emphasized that the county would also seek full restitution from those charged for the costs the alleged crime has cost taxpayers.
“A real tragedy might have occurred had there been an actual emergency while crucial rescue efforts were being employed in the search for Raymond Roth,” Rice said. “Luckily, that was not the case, but my office will aggressively prosecute these crimes and seek full restitution for the public resources that were wasted by Mr. Roth’s criminal fraud.”
News
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
Navy SEAL killed in crash was top student athlete
Jonathan Kaloust, a 23-year-old Navy SEAL who hailed from Massapequa, lost his life last Wednesday in a freak Humvee crash during a training exercise in Fort Knox, Ky.
A 2007 graduate of Massapequa High School and standout wrestler, Kaloust was recruited to Binghamton University, where he continued to wrestle while pursuing a political science degree.
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
Increased service will save local
commuters up to 40 minutes a day
A $40-million construction project, designed to modernize the Massapequa Station at Sunrise Highway (Route 27), just east of Broadway and Route 107, was announced by the Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Long Island Railroad. The station renovations are part of a multi-phase initiative to improve infrastructure and train service at the station that serves approximately 6,000 customers every weekday.
The first phase is scheduled to begin on May 29, and the improvements are scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2015. Over the next two years, the rehabilitation project will include the sorely needed replacement of the station platform and canopy, heated platform waiting room, escalator, elevator and staircases, pedestrian walkway over Broadway, public address system, plus the addition of signage, energy-efficient platform lighting, and a decorative granite wall adjacent to ticket office. The railroad is also starting work on the installation of a pocket track just east of the station that will significantly improve train service and frequency, as well as on-board seat availability.
Sports
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
The U.S. Tennis Association Long Island Region has recognized Michelle Carnovale of Massapequa for her tennis playing in 2012. Michelle was honored for her ranking in the Girls’ 14s on Long Island.
With more than 9,000 members, the Region promotes the growth and development of Long Island tennis and supports USTA programs including Jr. Team Tennis, National Junior Tennis and Learning, High School Tennis, College Tennis, USTA 10 and Under Tennis, USTA League Tennis, and community tennis.
The volunteer-based Board of Directors works with USTA members to create programs and activities for all the tennis players on Long Island, from small children to seniors. For more information, visit www.longisland.usta.com or email ustaonlongisland@gmail.com.
Thursday, 23 May 2013 00:00
Last Wednesday the Massapequa Observer A’s had a come-from-behind victory 5-2 over the Trial Lawyer Mets, powered by key hits from Ray Anzelone, Michael Grisanti, and Jason Kopp. Evan “Mariano” Barrow came in again with no outs and the bases loaded to pick up the save.
On Saturday, the Observer A’s beat the Kleer Fax Yankees 4-2. The A’s were down 1-0 into the 4th inning due to an RBI single by Ross Mitton of the Yankees. Anthony Patullo drove in two runs with an RBI triple to give the A’s a 2-1 lead. This was followed by Brendan Castonguay driving in two runs with a double to make the score 4-1. Patullo pitched three solid innings in the start with Castonguay pitching the final three innings for the win.
Calendar
Marine Corps Barbecue
Monday, May 27
Wantagh Preservation Society Meeting
Tuesday, May 28
America’s Boating Course
Tuesday, May 28
Columns
Building Better Legislators
Written by Michael A. Miller, Millercolumn@optimum.net
Quietly Vindicated
Written by Mike Barry, MFBarry@optonline.net
Health Insurance Crisis Still Here
Written by Michael A. Miller, Millercolumn@optimum.net
