Judge rejects request to jail Claire Risoldi

A judge on Monday rejected a request by prosecutors to revoke bail and jail a prominent Bucks County woman awaiting trial on charges of insurance fraud.

Prosecutors claimed that Claire Risoldi, 68, who is accused of inflating insurance claims to finance a lavish lifestyle, again tried to intimidate a witness in her upcoming trial - an accusation they have made four times since her January 2015 arrest.

Chester County Common Pleas Court Judge Thomas Gavin, who is hearing the case because of Risoldi's local ties, rejected the request. Still, the judge warned Risoldi not to contact anyone named in evidence shared by prosecutors or else risk a possible contempt citation.

After the decision, Risoldi put on sunglasses and kissed a spectator before leaving the hearing in Doylestown with her family.

A longtime contributor and fund-raiser for Bucks County Republicans, she faces trial in the alleged inflation of insurance reimbursements following fires at her family estate, Clairemont, outside New Hope. The state Attorney General's Office contends she and other family members conspired to dupe insurers out of $20 million after three fires at the estate since 2009.

On Monday, the judge also reversed a decision and ruled that Risoldi should be tried separately and first, because some of the charges against her go beyond the allegations of fraud related to the 2013 fire. The other defendants, including her son and daughter, will then be tried in the fire-related fraud case.

Monday's hearing could be Risoldi's last appearance in court until the trial in June. "I would hope," said her attorney, Jack McMahon, as he exited the courtroom.

State prosecutors have repeatedly complained that Risoldi was attempting to influence witnesses, including allegedly sending both flowers and a private investigator to a jewelry appraiser last year.

In the latest incident, they said, Risoldi contacted the sister of a deceased appraiser who had allegedly valued jewelry involved in Risoldi's claims. The woman's name was included in documents prosecutors shared with the defense days earlier.

McMahon said Risoldi had contacted her innocently. Prosecutors that argued Risoldi's repeated behavior could impede justice.

Gavin denied the request to revoke her bail. He noted the woman whom Risoldi had contacted was unlikely to be a witness in the case.

Risoldi's lawyer told the judge he had repeatedly warned her not to contact potential witnesses - and said he would not advocate for her if the issue arose again.

"To some extent, I feel sorry for you, trying to control somebody who apparently is uncontrollable," Gavin told McMahon.

"Fortunately for her," the judge added, "I'm a patient man."

jmcdaniel@phillynews.com

267-559-1689

@McDanielJustine