Louisiana Agents Accused of Fraud, Theft, Pocketing Premiums

In two separate instances, Louisiana insurance agents recently have been accused of fraud and misappropriating premiums.

In one case, the Louisiana Department of Insurance Fraud Section Investigators served Tamara Celeste Wilson, 34, with a notice of license revocation and civil fine for misappropriation of premiums.

The Patterson area insurance agent, accused of collecting more than $1,400 in premiums which she did not remit to the insurance company, faces a $1,000 civil fine.

A separate investigation into the activities of Julia K. Moore, an agent for AFLAC, led the Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit to arrest Moore on accusations of submitting bogus insurance applications for the purpose of collecting agent commissions.

Moore allegedly collected nearly $48,000 dollars in agent commissions from the submission of those applications.

The LSP reported the investigation began after a complaint was received from AFLAC. In July 2007, AFLAC supervisors reviewed applications submitted by Moore, finding that many contained Moore’s home address and all had the same bank account information, according to the LSP report. AFLAC’s investigation revealed approximately 188 bogus applications totaling $47,925.17 in agent commissions.

The LSP says Moore, after having participated in two audio taped telephone conversations, subsequently admitted that she had submitted fraudulent information regarding the questionable applications.

Moore is accused of committing 188 counts of theft and 188 counts of forgery in Terrebonne Parish as a result of submitting the fraudulent insurance applications. She was arrested in Crowley, La., on Feb. 3.

Source: Louisiana Department of Insurance, www.ldi.state.la.us; Louisiana State Police, www.lsp.org

Topics Fraud Agencies Louisiana