Joseph Klecko

Klecko pleaded guilty in January 1993 to one count of perjury, specifically for lying to a federal grand jury in November 1991 during an investigation into a large-scale automobile insurance fraud scheme. The scheme centered on the Sun Oil Company refinery in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, where employees of the Travelers Insurance Company's Voorhees, New Jersey office conspired with auto body shops and claimants to submit fraudulent damage claims — alleging that refinery emissions had ruined vehicle paint finishes — for incidents purportedly occurring between 1988 and 1990. Travelers paid out more than $5 million in fraudulent claims before the scheme was exposed. A federal grand jury ultimately indicted 67 people in connection with the fraud in October 1992. Klecko's role was to lend his pickup truck's registration to be used in submitting a false claim; when called before the grand jury he lied about the condition of the truck and his involvement, telling investigators he had not participated. His attorney stated at sentencing that Klecko had lied to protect friends and that he later deeply regretted it, apologising directly to the court.