| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 7817 | 2011-04-05 | Troop I | Nine Arrested in Insurance Fraud Cases |
| LOUISIANA STATE POLICE COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent Troop I Press Release April 5, 2011 ***UPDATE*** Suspect Turns Herself into State Police At 3:30 p.m. today, Rachel Celestine turned herself into Louisiana State Police detectives at the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center. She was booked without incident into the jail for insurance fraud. Eight Arrested in Insurance Fraud Case; State Police Still Looking for One Today, Louisiana State Police detectives with the Insurance Fraud Unit assigned to the Lafayette Field Office arrested nine persons for violations of Louisiana insurance fraud laws. These arrests are the result of three independent criminal investigations conducted by state police insurance fraud unit into allegations of persons staging vehicle crashes to obtain insurance proceeds from fraudulent bodily injury and property damage claims. The crimes committed involved such illicit acts as preparing and submitting false medical bills, claiming pre-existing damage on vehicles, and exaggerating bodily injuries. Some of the suspects involved staged crashes using their own vehicles, while one used a vehicle borrowed from a family member, and another rented a vehicle to perpetrate these crimes. Arrest warrants obtained by detectives ranged in charges from insurance fraud to felony theft. The following persons were arrested this morning on the arrest warrants without incident: Georgeanna Calais 28-years-old Carencro, LA, Insurance Fraud Jamal Arceneaux, 28-years-old Opelousas, LA, Insurance Fraud and Theft Lillie Broussard 29-years-old Opelousas, LA, Insurance Fraud and Theft Jamarcus Butler 31-years-old Breaux Bridge, LA, Insurance Fraud Carletta Jones 36-years-old Breaux Bridge, LA, Insurance Fraud Quanisha Charles 24-years-old Houma, LA, Insurance Fraud Sheila Smith, 50-years-old Franklin, LA, Insurance Fraud State police is still looking for one of the suspects, 28-year-old Rachel Celestine of Breaux Bridge, LA. Anyone with any information on her whereabouts is asked to call Louisiana State Police detectives at 337-262-3341. If convicted of insurance fraud, under the state statute, it is a felony and a person may be imprisoned up to five years and fined up to five thousand dollars. The person may also have to pay restitution to the insurance company for any payments the court determines were not owed. If convicted of felony theft, under the state statute, a person may be imprisoned for not more than five years, and be fined up to two thousand dollars. According to INSWEB car insurance report, Louisiana was ranked number one in automobile insurance costs for 2011. Insurance fraud, in particular companies having to pay for false or exaggerated claims, is a key factor in the high cost of insurance in Louisiana. A report compiled by the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund found that the insurance industry pays out approximately $20 Billion in bad claims nationwide. It also found that ten percent of all property/casualty claims are inflated or outright fraudulent, and that fraud raises premiums approximately $300.00 per year per household. These investigations were the result of complaints submitted to the state police and the Louisiana Department of Insurance through their website. Anyone wishing to report suspected insurance fraud is urged to contact the Louisiana State Police at 337-262-3341, or the Louisiana Department of Insurance website at www.ldi.state.la.us. All information will remain strictly confidential. Louisiana State Police was successful in these investigations because of collaborative partnerships with the Louisiana Department of Insurance, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and the Louisiana State Attorney General’s Office. For More Information Contact: | |||
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