LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement busted a duo for their part in a decade-long fraud scheme.
64-year-old Castaic resident Brian Scott Krasnoff and 52-year-old Valencia resident Lori Michelle Russum face charges of –
- conspiracy to commit grand theft;
- grand theft;
- forgery;
- failure to secure payment compensation.
In total the pair face more than 30 felony counts for their underground economy crimes.
Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones stated, “When businesses don’t carry insurance they put homeowners and businesses that hire them at great financial risk.” Should someone experience injury on the job, the homeowner or business is then liable.
In the first place, here was their ruse – Krasnoff was the subcontractor for maintenance companies. His company’s name was Commercial Window Cleaning Co.
In addition, he conspired with Russum, who owned a typing company. She in turn created false certificates of insurance.
Next, Krasnoff submitted these false certificates to maintenance companies in order to secure jobs. Therefore, the companies proceeded under the assumption that Krasnoff was insured. He wasn’t. Krasnoff received “more than half a million dollars for his services.”
Jones added, “If you’re hiring a professional to work on your home or property it’s not enough to see an insurance certificate. You should always call the insurance company and confirm the policy is active. Taking this extra step should protect your assets. Then you are not liable in the event of an accident or injury.”
