REGENCY OAKS CORPORATION v. NORMAN-SPENCER MCKERNAN, INC.
Regency Oaks Corporation, a professional employer organization, filed a fraud action against Norman-Spencer McKernan, Inc., an insurance agency. The plaintiff alleged that an employee of the defendant provided a falsified workers’ compensation insurance policy and a certificate of liability insurance, directing premium payments to his private company, PIM, under the false pretense that PIM was a division of the defendant. After receiving a penalty from the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, plaintiff received a forged letter confirming coverage. The defendant's employee was later terminated for embezzlement from another client. The Supreme Court granted plaintiff partial summary judgment on liability, which was affirmed by the Appellate Division, Fourth Judicial Department, concluding that plaintiff reasonably relied on the employee's apparent authority.