Florida Woman Sent To Prison For Embezzling Again While On Probation For Conviction In $400K Embezzlement Case

From the Bradenton Herald on 2/21/2015:

Already convicted of fraud, Bradenton bookkeeper, sentenced to prison for committing more fraud

MANATEE -- A Bradenton bookkeeper was sentenced to eight years in prison after violating her probation from a 2009 case in which she embezzled more than $400,000 from an employer by committing fraud against another employer, voter fraud and insurance fraud, according to the State Attorney's Office.

Annique Lesage, currently going by her married name, Annique Newton, will serve eight years in a Florida prison followed by 15 years probation in which she will be required to complete paying her restitution and undergo a physiological evaluation, according to a news release.

Lesage's first violation arose after her arrest in July 2013, when she was charged with scheming to defraud Cactus Sky Communications, a small Bradenton marketing firm, after allegedly helping herself to more than $17,000. At the time, she was still on probation for the sentence she received in a 2009 Sarasota case when she was convicted of first-degree grand theft and fraudulent use of credit cards.

Newton received a 21.9-month prison sentence and 28 years' probation in that case.

The terms of Newton's probation stipulated that she needed to report any new employment to her probation officer, who then must contact the employer to assure them she was not handling money.

Lesage is set to stand trail in the scheming to defraud case during the March 16 two-week trial period.
In November, Lesage was sentenced to credit for time served after entering a plea of no contest in the voting-fraud and insurance-fraud charges against her. ... Read the whole story here.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2015/02/21/5648557_bradenton-bookkeeper-convicted.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Nevada Man Arrested In Fraudulent Warranty Scheme; Alleged To Have Kept $859K In Premiums

From KLAS-TV8 on 1/17/14:

Henderson Police have arrested a man in connection with an scheme that could cost a group of consumers thousands of dollars.

According to police, 51-year-old Robert William Roback, the owner of an extended vehicle warranty company called DriverzEdge, failed to pass payments made by consumers for extended warranties for their vehicles to the insurance company.

Police say extended warranties purchased through Roback's company from August through October were not forwarded to Assurant Service Protection, which left consumers without the coverage they thought they had purchased.

...

Read the whole story here.

Former Insurance Claims Adjuster In Missouri Sentenced For Embezzling More Than $400K

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on 5/23/13:

A former claims adjuster for Allianz insurance company in O'Fallon was sentenced Thursday to 27 months in federal prison for defrauding the company of more than $400,000 that he diverted to himself.

Brian Behl pleaded guilty in February to mail fraud. After he serves his time, he will be under three years of supervised release.

Federal prosecutors said Behl worked for Allianz for about 10 years until Sept 2012, and the scheme occurred during the final 18 months.

...

Prosecutors said Behl set up a fictitious company called B&M Salvage Repair and registered a post office box in Illinois in its name, then sent more than $400,000 in supposed reimbursement checks to it, which he then used for personal items such as a car and a motorcycle.

California Vice Mayor Accused Of Embezzling $159K From Insurance Client

Joseph Medrano

Joseph Medrano, 48, of Clayton, California and the Vice Mayor of that city, has been accused of embezzling $159,000 from iPass, a client of his as an insurance broker.  According to authorities, Medrano kept insurance coverage premiums for iPass meant to be forwarded to Travelers Insurance.  Medrano, who was charged in February 2011, has plead not guilty.  Medrano also faces a civil suit filed by Travelers to recoup the premiums he allegedly kept for himself.

Read the story here.

Update (6/2/12): Medrano has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Update (1/11/13): Medrano was sentenced to 3 years in prison.

Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Insurance Company Out Of $7 Million

Travis Magdalena Scott, 34, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to charges he defrauded Zurich North America out of at least $7.1 million, but as much as $10 million.  According to prosecutors, in the latter half of 2008, Scott submitted fraudulent insurance claims for his business, Security Management Technologies, which was a Zurich insured, claiming it was destroyed due to a lighting strike.  Scott was paid for both physical damages as well as business interruption claims.  Prosecutors alleged that Scott used the ill-gotten gains to support a lavish lifestyle that included personal aircraft, luxury vehicles and watercraft.  Research suggests that Scott offered aircraft flight training. 

Read the story here and here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Six Executives Of Missouri Based Funeral Concern Indicted For Allegedly Diverting $600 Million

Six executives of Clayton, Missouri-based National Prearranged Services Inc. were indicted on charges they diverted as much as $600 million from fees paid by customers for pre-paid funeral services, for their own benefit. The six include James Douglas Cassity, 64, of Clayton; his son, Brent Douglas Cassity, 43, also of Clayton; Randall K. Sutton, 65, of Chesterfield; Sharon Nekol Province, 66, of Ballwin; Howard A. Wittner, 73, of Chesterfield; and David R. Wulf, 58, of St. Louis County. The 50 count indictment alleges mail fraud, wire fraud, bank fraud, insurance fraud, embezzlement, money laundering and conspiracy and seeks recovery of the funds and the seizure of numerous luxury items and property, including a 36-foot boat and jewelry, and various condominiums, homes and other properties in Missouri, California, Florida and Nantucket, Massachusetts. The funds paid by clients which should have been held in trust, were allegedly diverted by the defendants through numerous mail, wire and other transfers over a ten year period dating back to at least 1998 until 2008.

Read the story here, here and here.

Read the DOJ announcement here.

Hat tip: Reader Nicole.

5 Arrested In Florida For Insurance Fraud Scam

Florida authorities announced the arrest of five individuals, including Donald Alfred Toohey, III, 30, on charges they conspired to defraud Zurich Insurance Group, by creating multiple falsified and fabricated claims in excess of $240,000. Others arrested include Scott J. Kincaid, 44, twin brothers, Brian Frederick Kneifer, 26, Anthony Michal Kneifer, 26, and Tricia Ann Allen, 27. According to authorities, Toohey, pictured here, used his position as a claims adjuster with Zurich to create at least 26 fraudulent claims payable to the co-conspirators. A large portion of those checks were then allegedly kicked back to Toohey. The scam spanned nearly five years, from August 2004 until June 2009 in which a total of $242,657 was misappropriated. The co-conspirators all have pleaded guilty to grand theft charges. Toohey is believed to have received more than $200,000 of the total stolen.

Read the story here and here.

Hat tip: Reader Joe.

Former Iowa Insurance Claims Worker Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison For Fraud

Rachel Lenagh, 39, of Neola, Iowa, was sentenced Friday to 2 years in prison for defrauding her employer, Mutual of Omaha, out of $1.4 million in fraudulent insurance claims. Lenagh, who plead guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud in October, processed fraudulent health insurance claims for Sharon Johnson of West Dover, Vermont, who in return, paid Lenagh $95,600 in kickbacks, according to prosecutors. The scheme reportedly went on from 2001 to 2006. Johnson is awaiting her own trial.

Read the story here.

Former Minnesota Insurance Agent Gets Off With Probation In $250+K Embezzlement/Theft Case

Wanda Jane Schafer, 54, of Mazeppa, Minnesota and a former insurance agent with Gillford Mutual Fire Insurance Co. of Lake City, Minnesota, was sentenced yesterday to 5 years probation and ordered to pay some $164,000 in restitution for the theft/embezzlement of about $259,000 from the company between 2002 and 2006. Schafer, who was indicted in June, plead guilty to insurance fraud and agreed to forfeit her license. Further, her plea agreement stipulated that Schafer could not obtain new credit or open new credit lines nor take any position requiring a fiduciary responsibility, among other things. It has been reported that she has already made restitution.

Read the story here, here and here.

Again, this seems like a light sentence, considering the amount stolen.