State investigators are accusing a Gibsonia man of attempting an insurance fraud worth more than $300,000.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office filed charges Thursday against Andrew M. Moore, 57, including one felony count of insurance fraud and two felony counts of theft by deception.

Moore was arraigned Thursday before District Judge Amy Marcinkiewicz and released on $25,000 unsecured bond.

Police said Moore filed a claim with his home insurance company, USAA, stating his home had been broken into between Feb. 16 and 19, 2021, while he was out of state for business.

Investigators said Moore claimed he returned home and found it vandalized by an unknown person. He said the vandalism included damage to many expensive possessions.

Moore said clothes were burned and found in a bathtub, holes were punched in the walls and the hardwood flooring was damaged, investigators stated in the affidavit. Moore said his expensive cigar collection was ruined and numerous bottles of wine were destroyed.

Agents investigating the claim said Moore requested $22,122 for damage to the home and $374,250 for broken items. Moore and his wife received $22,122 on March 31, 2021.

Special agents said Moore was not entitled to those funds because there is evidence that his wife damaged the home and possessions.

“Your affiant reviewed the policy, which states that damage is not insured if it is intentional loss caused directly or indirectly by an insured, meaning a loss arising out of any act any insured commits or conspired to commit with the intent to cause a loss,” agents said.

Special agents said insurance employees hesitated regarding the amount of the broken items, which spurred the insurance agency’s investigation.

Agents said the investigation revealed a series of police reports related to disputes between Moore and his wife leading up to the alleged break-in. Agents said Adams Township Police had nine reports filed about the couple between Feb. 12 and 19, 2021.

Police told investigators most of the complaints were welfare checks that didn’t warrant official action. However, on Feb. 17, 2021, police were dispatched to the home by Butler County 911 because Moore had called to report his wife was destroying the house and their belongings and threatening to burn down the house.

“(Moore) also stated (his wife) told him she was destroying his wine collection,” documents stated, citing Moore’s alleged 911 call.

Court documents alluded to Moore’s wife being involuntarily committed, saying they received a “warrant” for her, and later that she was taken to a hospital for “treatment.”

Police told special agents they were with Moore when his wife was taken from the home, and at that time, they saw the wine bottles broken inside and outside the home, as well as other damages consistent with Moore’s later claim.

Agents said Moore told an Adams Township officer the wine cost a substantial amount of money, with some being valued up to $20,000 per bottle.

Special agents said they also found a damaged vehicle belonging to Moore’s wife parked in front of the garage. Police told agents that when they arrested Moore they saw evidence of damage inside the home.

The responding officer said the damage Moore reported to USAA Insurance was not the result of vandals or someone breaking into the residence, special agents said.

Agents said they also had evidence Moore had been staying in a Cranberry Township hotel throughout the duration of the disturbances, not out of state as he stated in his claim. Agents said Moore visited the police station multiple times on Feb. 16 and Feb. 17, 2021.

Agents said they confronted Moore during a Nov. 3 interview, during which time he admitted to leaving his home Feb. 12, 2021, because of the dispute with his wife, from whom he said he was legally separated.

Agents said Moore refuted some information but admitted to other pieces.

“(Moore) stated he believed (his wife) caused some of the damage, but also believed there were other people involved,” agents said. “(Moore) added he heard other people inside the residence on one or several of the phone calls he received from (his wife) prior to Feb. 9 (2021).”

According to agents, Moore admitted his wife had broken the garage, among some of the other damage. Agents said Moore refuted making the 911 call on Feb. 16, 2021.

“(Moore) continued to say he has been a paying customer of USAA Insurance for 30 years and has never filed a claim,” agents said. “His residence was damaged, so he filed the claim.”

Moore is scheduled to appear May 10 for a preliminary hearing before Marcinkiewicz.