Belmar Woman Admits Disability Insurance Fraud

A Belmar 31-year-old faces three years in prison for collecting $8,819 in temporary disability benefits to which she wasn't entitled.

According to information from New Jersey Attorney General John Hoffman's office, Jennifer Massimo Ruiz's sentence is the one being recommended by the state for her guilty plea to insurance fraud. She has a sentencing date of February 7, 2014.

Ruiz admitted filing in April 2010, claiming to be an office manager in a family business since 2008 and seeking disability payments during maternity leave commencing the previous month.

Investigators determined that Ruiz hadn't worked for 52 weeks prior to the application. New Jersey law requires someone seeking temporary disability benefits to have been employed during the year prior to filing.