Last night Fox News in New York (Fox5 – WNYW) aired an investigative report about a van service for the city school system that appears to be committing underwriting fraud.

Investigative reporter John Deutzman found that vans that transport kids to and from a magnet school in Brooklyn are licensed and insured in Pennsylvania. Deutzman noted that local officials are powerless to do anything about the fraud, but that a state investigation is underway.

Watch the report on the station’s website. It’s very well done. Deutzman, by the way, received an award from the New York Alliance Against Insurance Fraud in 2006 for a great piece on auto underwriting fraud in New York. The fraud-fighting community needs more journalism like this.

Update (January 23) — The guy in the photograph above — along with five members of his family — was charged today with using a Pennsylvania address to falsely obtain driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations and insurance coverage for a total of 14 vehicles, including vans linked to an illegal school bus operation in Brooklyn, NY. The charges were brought by Pennsylvania AG Tom Corbett.