Public Adjuster Faces Prison For Pocketing $684,000

A Main Line public adjuster who pocketed nearly $700,000 in insurance proceeds that he owed to 32 claimants, some of whom incurred damages to homes or businesses during Hurricane Sandy, is headed to state prison. Marshall Stephen Perlman, 71, of the 2600 block of Naudain Street, Philadelphia, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court on Thursday to three to 21 years in state prison on charges of insurance fraud, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, theft by deception, forgery, identity theft and deceptive business practices in connection with thefts, totaling about $684,989, that occurred between 2010 and 2013 while he did business as Claimstar Inc.