Peabody man pleads innocent to insurance fraud, larceny

SALEM – Robert Giller, a Peabody businessman charged with scamming insurance companies out of nearly $29,000 by charging for work he pretended to perform at his automotive and glass companies, remains free on his own personal promise to return to court after pleading innocent.Giller, 52, who resides at 11 Laurel Road in Swampscott, appeared for his arraignment Friday morning in Salem Superior Court, pleading innocent to 20 counts of insurance fraud, 18 counts of larceny over $250 by false pretense as well as two counts of attempted larceny before Judge John T. Lu.The judge agreed to set no bail on Giller and continue his case to Feb. 22 for a pretrial conference at the joint recommendation of Assistant Attorney General Brenda O’Shea and defense lawyer Thomas Dreschler.The charges against Giller arise from January 2006 through December of 2009 when Giller formulated a scheme in which he made false statements on invoices and other records that he submitted to insurers to collect payments for work that was not performed on motor vehicles.Giller, according to authorities, is the owner and president of Advanced Automotive Concepts, Inc. in Peabody and serves as treasurer of New England Glass Company, Inc., located at 55-R Walnut St. in Peabody.Employees at the company perform work on motor vehicles, which includes glass repairs and replacement, sunroof repairs, installation of sunroofs and other automotive repairs and installation of a similar nature.Authorities say Giller created and submitted the fraudulent invoices and other records to insurers for work that Giller falsely claimed was performed on customers’ motor vehicles. The insurers then reimbursed Giller’s businesses for the work that was allegedly performed.Giller allegedly made 20 claims and collected approximately $28,827.02. In two of the claims Giller submitted for reimbursement on fraudulent invoices, the insurers denied the claims.Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division is handling the case.