A North Carolina man is facing charges after allegedly filing an insurance claim for four mink coats he falsely said had been stolen.
Charlotte resident Darrell Howard, 52, is facing multiple charges including insurance fraud, according to local news affiliate WNCT.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance began an investigation into the issue earlier this year, which led to a criminal summons on July 14.
Authorities said that beginning in 2019, Howard listed four mink coats as stolen on a State Farm insurance claim, claiming a total value of $20,000. The coats, authorities alleged, were decidedly un-pilfered.
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“Insurance fraud hurts consumers,” said North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey. “Approximately 20% of your insurance premium goes to cover the cost of fraud. That’s why I’m aggressively pursuing and prosecuting insurance fraud in North Carolina.”
Howard’s first court appearance is scheduled for November, according to WNCT.
