In North Carolina they are not fooling around when it comes to prosecuting insurance fraud. In the last month, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has announced the arrests of 4 people, largely for minor offenses and not the major conspiracies that make headlines.
Jimmie Lee Rollins, 63, of Denver (NC), is charged with one count each of insurance fraud and attempting to obtain property by false pretense in Iredell County. Department investigators accuse Rollins of claiming pre-existing vehicle damage as new damage in an attempt to collect $1,620.69 from
GEICO Insurance Company in June 2015. Rollins was arrested in Iredell County on Nov. 14 by the Iredell County Sheriff's Office and placed under a $5,000 bond.
Anthony Bowen, 29, and Tracey Bowen, 49, of Jacksonville; and Kevin Donovan Reynolds, 25, of Durham were also arrested and accused of conspiring to seek fraudulent payment from
Farmers Insurance Company by making false statements after a car accident on April 27. Anthony Bowen and Reynolds are accused of claiming Reynolds was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident, but investigators allege Anthony Bowen was the driver. Reynolds and Tracey Bowen are accused of claiming they were injured in the accident, but investigators allege neither was in the vehicle.
Anthony Bowen was charged in Onslow County with attempting to obtain property by false pretense, insurance fraud, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense, filing a false police report and driving while license is revoked. Bowen was arrested on Oct. 28 in Onslow County and placed under a $27,000 bond.
Reynolds was charged in Onslow County with attempting to obtain property by false pretense, insurance fraud, conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense and filing a false police report. Police are still seeking Reynolds.
Tracey Bowen was charged in Onslow County with attempting to obtain property by false pretense, insurance fraud and conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense. Bowen was arrested on Oct. 28 in Onslow County and placed under a $35,000 bond.
The Department of Insurance employs 20 sworn state law enforcement officers to investigate and prosecute claims of insurance fraud. Since Goodwin took office in 2009, criminal investigators have made more than 1500 arrests, resulting in more than 750 criminal convictions with more than 250 cases currently pending. The Department said these efforts have led to the recovery of more than $72.1 million in restitution to victims.
