Arrest - InsuranceFraud.org

A longtime claims manager for Auto-Owners Insurance Co. has been charged with defrauding the company of more than $43,000.

Ian V. Eisnaugle, 41, of Hendersonville, North Carolina, was charged with insurance fraud and forgery in June after he reportedly submitted forged rental invoices for a residence in which he did not live, the NC Department of Insurance said in a bulletin.

Eisnaugle’s Linkedin page shows he was a claims manager, adjuster, and most recently, an arbitrator and trainer at Auto-Owners in the Asheville, North Carolina area. He apparently left the insurer in February of this year, the Linkedin page shows.

The arrest warrant in Henderson County, near Asheville, indicates that Eisnaugle filed a claim with Auto-Owners in September 2024, then submitted the invoices showing he had incurred the rental expenses at a home in Nashville, Tennessee. He was not living at the address during the claim period, according to the arrest warrant, which was signed by an investigator with the NCDOI. Auto-Owners initiated the complaint and investigation, the DOI noted.

“The defendant acted without authority and with the intent to injure and defraud with deceit,” the warrant reads.

Eisnaugle was released on bond after his arrest. A hearing is set for Aug. 25.

He was granted an adjuster license in North Carolina in February of this year, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners license page shows. Eisnaugle could not be reached at the phone number and email address listed on the license page. An Auto-Owners communications manager said the company has no comment about the case.

Two men were arrested by New York State Police after investigators determined that the reported theft of a classic car from a Somers shopping center had been fabricated in an alleged attempt to collect insurance money.

According to State Police, Salvatore J. Amato, 81, of Somers, reported on June 24 that his 1981 Fiat Spider had been stolen earlier that morning from the ACME Markets parking lot on U.S. Route 6.

Troopers and investigators reviewed license plate reader data and surveillance video from the shopping plaza during the investigation. Police said the evidence showed the vehicle had never entered the parking lot as reported.

According to police, when confronted with the evidence, Amato admitted that he had fabricated the theft report in an attempt to obtain insurance proceeds. Investigators said he also admitted arranging for the vehicle to be left in the Bronx and that his brother, Frank Amato, 83, of Long Island, drove him back to Somers.

Salvatore Amato was charged with third-degree insurance fraud, a Class D felony; first-degree falsifying business records, a Class E felony; false written statement, a Class A misdemeanor; falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor; and fifth-degree conspiracy, a Class B misdemeanor.

Frank Amato was charged with first-degree falsifying business records, a Class E felony; false written statement, a Class A misdemeanor; falsely reporting an incident in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor; and fifth-degree conspiracy, a Class B misdemeanor.

Following consultation with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, both men were processed and released on their own recognizance. They are scheduled to appear in Somers Justice Court at a later date.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced the arrests of 21 people Wednesday in a Medicaid fraud operation tied to allegations of false billing, false public records and abuse involving vulnerable people.

Murrill said the arrests were made by the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which investigates Medicaid provider fraud and allegations of abuse and neglect involving vulnerable people in health care facilities.

The attorney general also announced the unit has been elevated to a standalone division within the Louisiana Department of Justice. Matt Stafford, who currently leads the unit, has been promoted to director of the new division.

“I will not stop until the people’s money is returned and those who break the law face Louisiana justice. The men and women of Louisiana get up and go to work every single day to provide for their families. Their tax dollars are intended for those in need. Nothing is more offensive than those who manipulate the system for their own benefit,” Murrill said.

The cases listed by the Attorney General’s Office include allegations that direct service workers billed Medicaid for care that was not provided, including during times when recipients were hospitalized, in daycare, incarcerated or no longer receiving services.

Other cases involve allegations of false CPR certification records, false insurance documents and abuse or battery of people with infirmities.

The suspects listed by state officials are from all across Louisiana and beyond, including Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Shreveport, Monroe, Ruston, Crowley, Lake Charles, Hammond, Bunkie, Collinston, Mount Hermon, Natchez, Mississippi, and Aubrey, Texas.

Ashley Griffin
Tongia HIll-Moy
Felicia Douglas
Adrian Lacour Brooks
Carolyn Brown
Mercedez Harris
Constance Jones
Tiera Green
Amanda Taylor
Valerie Roy
Analeah Turlington
Chrisshantenite Paul
Asha Clark
Arthur Bracey
Christopher Zone
Kirstan Wells
Jaquana Robertson
Victoria Bertrand Trahan
Moriah Edwards
Joneisha Dunn
Olivia Day

Other cases involve allegations of false CPR certification records, false insurance documents and abuse or battery of people with infirmities.

This announcement comes on the heels of a grand jury in Orleans Parish announcing an investigation into Murrill allegedly making threats against New Orleans mayor Helena Moreno and other city officials.

The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced today that Quincy-based roofing company The Roof Kings, LLC and its owner, Craig Galligan, 55, of Quincy, were indicted by a Norfolk County Grand Jury on June 25, 2026, on four counts each of Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fraud and one count each of Larceny Over $1,200. Galligan and The Roof Kings are scheduled to be arraigned in the Norfolk Superior Court on Friday, July 17, 2026.

According to the AGO, as the owner of The Roof Kings, Galligan was responsible for reporting accurate information on the type of work laborers performed and payroll information to insurers. Workers’ compensation insurance premiums are based, in part, on the type of work performed and the amount of payroll. Massachusetts law requires employers to accurately report information about their employees, payroll, and uninsured subcontractors so workers’ compensation insurers can properly calculate insurance premiums.

The AGO alleges that, during multiple audits for policies issued between 2021 and 2024, Galligan fraudulently represented that The Roof Kings had little or no payroll and only limited uninsured labor. An investigation by the AGO and the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts later identified more than $1.5 million in previously undisclosed payroll payments issued through company bank accounts between 2018 and 2024. As a result of The Roof Kings’ underreporting, the AGO alleges that the company substantially underpaid workers’ compensation insurance premiums owed to A.I.M. Mutual Insurance Companies, a Massachusetts-based insurer headquartered in Burlington, avoiding approximately $584,962 in workers’ compensation insurance premiums between 2018 and 2024.

All of these charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Kaelyn Hilliard and Criminal Investigator Dennis O’Connor of the AGO’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Division, along with Victim Witness Advocate Lia Panetta of the AGO’s Victim Service Division, with assistance from investigators at the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has charged a man with Insurance fraud, according to reports.

On Friday, SLED charged Richard Willing, 51, Florence, with presenting a false claim for insurance payment – value $10,000 or more, according to SLED.

In May of 2025, Willing knowingly submitted a false claim for insurance payment to Progressive Direct Insurance Company in Florence County, says SLED.

Willing claimed his camper was stolen, according to SLED.

Willing paid to leave his camper on a lot before the alleged theft, according to witnesses’ statements.

Progressive denied the stolen camper claim, according to the arrest report.

Willing’s was booked into the Florence County Detention Center.

A Walcott man is in the Scott County Jail on a $75,000 cash-only bond after the Iowa Insurance Fraud Bureau said he wrote multiple life insurance policies on family members without their knowledge and collected commissions on the policies.

Criminal complaints filed in the case say that between February 21, 2024 and January 24, 2025, the defendant, identified as Stanley Blythe, 61, “while acting as an insurance producer, wrote numerous life insurance policies on family members who were not aware that these policies were being written on them. The defendant signed these policies on behalf of the insured subjects without their knowledge or permission. The defendant’s scheme resulted in at least $36,360.76 worth of commissions being paid to him.”

Blythe allegedly wrote life insurance policies on unknowing family members on multiple occasions. He electronically signed the family members’ names and listed himself as the beneficiary on some policies while receiving commissionable premiums.

On February 21, 2024, Blythe allegedly wrote a life insurance policy for a family member who was not aware that the policy was being written on them. He electronically signed the name of the family member and listed himself as the beneficiary. This resulted in a commissionable premium of $1,603.36 to be paid to Blythe.

On March 21, 2024, Blythe allegedly used a family member’s personal identification information to obtain a life insurance policy in that person’s name. His actions were committed without the family member’s knowledge and resulted in a commissionable premium of $994.72.

On July 1, 2024, Blythe is accused of using a family member’s personal identification information to obtain a life insurance policy in that person’s name. The actions were committed without the family member’s knowledge and resulted in a commissionable premium of $6,283.22.

On August 1, 2024, Blythe allegedly used a family member’s personal identification information to obtain a life insurance policy for that person. His actions were committed without the family member’s knowledge and resulted in a commissionable premium of $5,984.00.

On September 5, 2024, Blythe is accused of using a family member’s personal identification information to obtain a life insurance policy in that person’s name. These actions were committed without the family member’s knowledge and resulted in a commissionable premium of $3,766.78.

On September 21, 2024, Blythe allegedly used a family member’s personal identification information to obtain a life insurance policy in that person’s name and listed himself as the beneficiary. This was committed without the family member’s knowledge and resulted in a commissionable premium of $1,513.79.

On October 7, 2024, Blythe allegedly wrote a life insurance policy for a family member who was not aware that a policy was being written on them. Blythe electronically signed the name of the family member and listed himself as the beneficiary of the life insurance policy. The defendant electronically signed this family member’s name.

On October 15, 2024, Blythe is accused of writing a life insurance policy for a family member who was not aware that the policy was being written on them. He electronically signed the family member’s name and listed himself as the beneficiary of the life insurance policy. This resulted in a commissionable premium of $2,329.00.

On November 12, 2024, Blythe allegedly used a family member’s personal identification information to obtain a life insurance policy in the name of the family member. The defendant’s actions were committed without the family member’s knowledge. The defendant’s actions resulted in a commissionable premium of $3,375.00.

On November 12, 2024, Blythe allegedly wrote a life insurance policy for a family member who was not aware that the policy was being written on them. He electronically signed the family member’s name and listed himself as the beneficiary.

On January 24, 2025, Blythe allegedly wrote a life insurance policy for a family member who was not aware that the policy was being written on them. He electronically signed the family member’s name and listed himself as the beneficiary. This resulted in a commissionable premium of $3,293.00.

Blythe was arrested on a warrant on 11 counts of forgery, fraudulent solicitation, 11 counts of identity theft and ongoing criminal activity. He is being held in the Scott County Jail on a $75,000 cash-only bond and is waiting on his next court appearance.

State prosecutors in New London Superior Court are accusing a Connecticut woman of stealing from the Medicaid program.

Ashley Chapman, 27, of Baltic, was arrested on June 15 by inspectors from the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.

A report from the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice Thursday evening reports that Chapman has been charged with one count of health insurance fraud and another count of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community.

Both charges are classified as Class B felonies. They’re each punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors say that Chapman submitted time sheets and was paid for services she did not provide while working as a personal care assistant.

The PCA program is funded by Medicaid and offers recipients who have permanent, severe and chronic disabilities money to hire PCAs to physically help them with daily self-care activities. This enables them to stay in their homes and remain present in the community.

The DCJ report notes that from Nov. 23, 2024, through Feb. 23, 2025, Chapman was submitting time sheets that claimed she was giving services to a recipient in their home, when that individual was out of state.

The total amount stolen by Chapman is $7,242, according to prosecutors.

The money profited by Chapman would constitute the crime of first-degree larceny by defrauding a public community, while the submission of claims to the Connecticut Department of Social Services by Chapman would represent health insurance fraud.

Following her arrest last week, Chapman was released on a promise to appear in court.

The report says she was scheduled to appear in New London Superior Court on Thursday.

Prosecutors emphasize that Chapman is considered innocent until or unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has investigated the case and will also prosecute it.

In the report, the unit expressed gratitude to DSS’ Office of Quality Assurance and the Norwich Police Department for their respective contributions.

The owner of a business in Lachine where two arson fires were set last week has been charged with being behind the blazes as well as insurance fraud.

Simgecan Bicer, 37, of Lachine has a court date scheduled for Monday.

He was first charged at the Montreal courthouse on Friday with two counts each of arson and insurance fraud.

Bicer is listed on the Quebec business registry as the first shareholder of SBS Brakes, one of several companies that repair vehicles at 925 Pacifique Ave. in Lachine.

The company was damaged twice by fires that were set on June 15 and 18.

Bicer was charged with setting the fires to damage the property of the owner of the land the repair shops are located on. He was also charged with two counts of insurance fraud.

Bicer has no criminal record in Quebec.

When he appeared in court on Friday, he was ordered to undergo a quick mental health evaluation before he appeared again on Monday.

Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with a house fire in Arabi that investigators determined was intentionally set, authorities said.

According to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office, Larry Crawford, 55; Elbert Brown, 57; and Isaac Marshall, 66, were arrested in connection with a May 28 fire at a home in the 700 block of Perrin Drive.

State fire marshal investigators determined the blaze had been deliberately set and later executed search warrants at locations in Kenner, New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish.

Crawford, Brown and Marshall were taken into custody. All three were charged with criminal conspiracy, arson with intent to defraud and insurance fraud.

The investigation remains ongoing. Further information was not immediately available.

Former Auto-Owners Claims Manager in NC Charged With Fraud in His Own Claim