Three in N.C. Busted for Auto Theft Fraud

North Carolina’s Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has announced the arrests of three individuals allegedly involved in a fraudulent stolen vehicle scheme meant to deceive an insurance company.

Donna Leblanc, 55, of 108 Creekview Road, New Bern, was charged with one count each of obtaining property by false pretense, insurance fraud, conspiracy and filing a false police report. She was arrested on Aug. 13 and placed under a $40,000 unsecured bond.

Patrick Oneil, 42, of 236 Pike Creek Road, Burgaw, and Tedd Jansen, 31, of 505 Oak Drive, Clayton, were charged with one count each of obtaining property by false pretense, insurance fraud and conspiracy. Each was arrested on Aug. 12 and placed under a $10,000 secured bond.

Department criminal investigators allege that Leblanc filed a false police report with the River Bend Police Department on April 20, 2009, stating that her vehicle had been stolen from her New Bern residence. She received $33,828 from Liberty Mutual Insurance Company as a result of a claim filed for the vehicle reported as stolen.

After the claim was paid, Leblanc’s vehicle was recovered at Jansen’s residence in Dunn. Insurance company officials were suspicious about the recovery and asked the Department’s Criminal Investigations Division to investigate. Investigators claim Leblanc and Oneil orchestrated a fraudulent stolen vehicle scheme in order to receive payment from the insurance company, and that Oneil obtained Jansen’s assistance in hiding the vehicle at Jansen’s residence until the insurance company paid the claim.

The Department of Insurance employs 20 sworn law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating claims of insurance fraud. To date in 2010, these criminal investigators have seen more than 165 cases successfully closed with more than $5.8 million in restitution and recoveries, 40 criminal convictions and more than 65 arrests.

Topics Auto Fraud North Carolina Numbers