I-TEAM: Jacksonville roofer accused of insurance fraud faces new charges

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville roofer at the center of an I-TEAM investigation is facing new charges related to insurance fraud and theft. 

State investigators with Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis' Division of Financial Services confirm Roger Van Den Bosch, the owner of Kinnecorps LLC, turned himself in Tuesday afternoon after an arrest warrant was issued out of Clay County on felony charges of insurance fraud, grand theft and uttering. The roofer is also now charged with failing to begin work according to Florida law.

Additionally, two Kinnecorps employees also turned themselves in Tuesday afternoon. Van Den Bosch's sister Anita Hughes and his girlfriend Jennifer Kinnebrew both face felony charges of uttering as well as knowingly notarizing a false document. 

Investigators say all of these new charges involve a Clay County homeowner, assignment of benefits (AOB), and the company pocketing the insurance money without doing the work. 

Investigators say Van Den Bosch, Hughes and Kinnebrew chose to turn themselves in to deputies in Baker County instead of Clay County, and all three were released on a pre-negotiated bond.

I-TEAM INVESTIGATIONS ON ROGER VAN DEN BOSCH AND KINNECORPS
Dec. 19 | Dec. 20 | Dec. 21 | Jan. 17 | March 5

Kinnecorps has been the subject of an I-TEAM investigation that started last year as homeowners complained they had signed an AOB allowing their insurance companies to pay Van Den Bosch and his company directly for hired repairs.  However, they tell investigators while Van Den Bosch was paid, the work wasn't finished.

AOB REFORM:
Florida lawmakers pass assignment of benefits reform bill 

In December, Van Den Bosch was arrested on five felony charges by Patronis' fraud investigators, accusing the roofer of having Duval County homeowners sign an AOB, and then forging insurance checks to pocket the money without doing the work.

Then in March, State Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a civil complaint against Van Den Bosch and Kinnecorps saying the roofer and his company violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by:

• Taking money from customers and their insurance companies with no intention of doing the work 
• Soliciting roofing jobs from homeowners even though they lacked the funds to begin or complete the work  
• Using company bank accounts to pay for personal expenses
• Unfairly penalized homeowners trying to hire a new contractor or request refunds

READ: AG's civil complaint against Van Den Bosch and Kinnecorps

Moody's complaint asks a judge to take a number of actions against Van Den Bosch and Kinnecorps -- including civil penalties, an order to pay back customers for unfinished jobs and restrictions on work Van Den Bosch and Kinnecorps do in the future.  

We checked, and despite the felony insurance fraud charges dating back to December 2018, Van Den Bosch's general contracting and roofing licenses are currently active in the city of Jacksonville, allowing the accused roofer to legally take on new contracting jobs throughout Duval County. 

The I-TEAM has also uncovered Kinnecorps is now seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy.  According to court documents filed in April, the roofing company has gone into default on business loans that were taken out because of cash flow problems resulting from issues with insurance payments.

BANKRUPTCY COURT DOCUMENTS: Kinnecorps bankruptcy filing | Case management filing | Proposed budget for use of cash collateral

We reached out to Van Den Bosch about the new charges and he declined to comment.