An insurance fraudster pocketed £31,000 by claiming that more than 30 fictional pets had died in varied and sometimes bizarre ways.
Robert Cretu, 40, took out dozens of insurance policies for animals that never existed before claiming they had died in accidents.
In one instance, the taxi driver from Liverpool alleged that his pet dog Leo had drowned after falling in the sea while chasing a seagull on Blackpool Pier. In another, a fake dog called Lola is said to have slipped out of its lead before being struck by a lorry in the Lake District.
Cretu, who was apparently suffering from financial difficulties because of his taxi repeatedly breaking down, made more than 30 fictitious claims between December 2023 and August 2025 worth a total of £31,700.
On Thursday, he pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to five charges of fraud by false representation against insurers, which included Allianz, Markerstudy Retail, Admiral and Pinnacle.
Fake records
Cretu, who was born in Romania and has held settled status in the UK since 2019, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months with a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 20 days.
Investigators uncovered falsified documents which he supplied to support the claims, including fake veterinary records, altered pet medical histories, cremation paperwork and fabricated bank statements.
Cretu told detectives: “The money had been spent on family finances”, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Sarah Egan, prosecuting, said he had taken out the majority of the insurance policies under fake names.
Sarah Griffin, defending, told the court that Cretu was his family’s “sole breadwinner”, who had stopped working as a factory supervisor and bought a taxi which “broke down multiple times”.
Sentencing, Judge Gary Woodhall said: “You essentially obtained fraudulent insurance policies from the outset, either with false details or in your own name”, but added that Cretu had been “struggling financially” and had since “expressed remorse”.
“I am just about persuaded that your remorse, the admissions from the outset and the fact there has been no further offending may well allow for a conclusion that there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation in the community,” he said.
