Latest Fraud Headlines

All the headlines from our Fraud Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Feds Charge 2 Florida Women with Hurricane Irma Disaster Assistance Fraud

Jan 21 2020 // Two Florida women have been accused of lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma in separate cases, federal prosecutors announced last week.Indictments were returned charging Bernita Willette Carswell, 36, of...

Texas Mutual: Massachusetts Firm Pleads Guilty to Workers’ Comp Fraud

Jan 21 2020 // A Massachusetts company has pleaded guilty in a Travis County, Texas, district court to workers’ compensation fraud, according to Texas Mutual Insurance Co.Texas Mutual says EME International Inc. (EME) of...

Ex-Church Administrator in Pennsylvania Gets 10 to 20 Years in Theft Case

Jan 21 2020 // A former western Pennsylvania church administrator has been sentenced to 10 to 20 years in the theft of $1.2 million that prosecutors said he and his wife used for vacations, sports tickets and other personal expenses.An...

Alabama Police Say ‘Batman’ Bandit Stealing from Churches

Jan 16 2020 // Police in Alabama are looking for a man who disguised himself as Batman while stealing musical instruments from churches.A burglary happened on Dec. 11 at King’s Way Church in Irondale, AL.Com reported. The caped...

Washington Mom, Son Charged in Attempted Auto Insurance Fraud

Jan 14 2020 // Three people were charged in King County Superior Court in connection to two separate auto insurance fraud cases after investigations by Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler’s Criminal Investigations...

California Agent Sentenced for Stealing $174K in Premiums from Truck Drivers

Jan 10 2020 // Connie Free, 34, of Moreno Valley, Calif., was sentenced this week to 22 felony counts and one misdemeanor count including grand theft and forgery after reportedly stealing at least $174,000 in insurance premiums from 11...

Travelex Ransomware Attack Part of Growing Trend in Cyber Crime: CyberCube

Jan 9 2020 // The ransomware attack against U.K. foreign exchange firm Travelex is just a taste of what’s to come with cyber crime, according to experts at CyberCube, the cyber risk analytics firm.Travelex announced this week that...

Oklahoma Couple Charged with $313K Home Repair Fraud

Jan 7 2020 // An Oklahoma couple has been accused of home repair fraud and embezzlement, where they took more than $313,000 from 10 victims, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office reported.In a 10-count felony indictment, Bobby...

Weinstein Criminal Trial on Rape Charge to Open 2 Years After #MeToo Movement Started

Jan 5 2020 // More than two years and a lifetime ago, Hollywood’s open secrets about Harvey Weinstein finally spilled into public view.Few back then could have predicted all that would follow or where the #MeToo movement would go....

Most Common Workers’ Compensation Medical Provider Fraud Schemes

Dec 31 2019 // While most insurance claims are legitimate, studies indicate that 10% or more of all property/casualty insurance claims are fraudulent.In the workers’ compensation industry, combatting fraud can seem like a game of...

Kentucky Farmer Pleads Guilty in Tobacco Crop Insurance Fraud Scheme

Dec 31 2019 // Another Central Kentucky farmer has pleaded guilty in a crop insurance fraud scheme that a federal prosecutor has called “pervasive and severe” in that region.Daniel Arvin pleaded guilty on Dec. 19 in federal...

Texas Insurance Regulators: New Year’s Day Is No. 1 Holiday for Vehicle Thefts

Dec 30 2019 // The Texas Department of Insurance is urging vehicle owners to lock their car doors and turn on alarms while they ring in the new year in order to prevent auto thefts.TDI said in a media release that a report issued in...

Convicted of Workers’ Comp Fraud, Houston Medical Facility Must Repay $30K

Dec 23 2019 // A Houston medical facility was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to workers’ compensation fraud in a Travis County District Court.The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of...

Minnesota Intensifying Enforcement of New Wage Theft Law

Dec 20 2019 // Two Minnesota agencies are ramping up their efforts to root out wage fraud by adding staffers to enforce a new state law that penalizes employers for exploiting their workers.Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has...

Texas Business Owner Must Pay $50K in Restitution in Work Comp Fraud Case

Dec 19 2019 // The owner of a South Texas truck stop has been ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution after pleading guilty to workers’ compensation fraud.James Russell Williams owns George West Truck Stop pleaded guilty in a Travis...

British Accountants Under Pressure to Do More to Detect Fraud at Companies

Dec 18 2019 // British accountants could be required to look for fraud at companies they audit under proposals made in a government-backed review of recent corporate scandals which went undetected.Lawmakers called for a shake-up of...

California Business Owner Nailed for Workers’ Comp Fraud to Pay $944K to Insurer

Dec 16 2019 // Michael Zendejas, 47, of Turlock, Calif., was sentenced to 180 hours of community service, three years formal probation and ordered to pay $944,718 in restitution after pleading no contest to insurance fraud for under...

Cryptocurrency Fraud Losses Surge to $4.4 Billion: CipherTrace Report

Dec 16 2019 // Cryptocurrency theft has surged in 2019 compared with last year, with more money flowing through digital exchanges and criminals looking to carry out bigger heists, according to a report from blockchain forensics company...

Man Must Repay $16.7K to Texas Mutual in Workers’ Comp Fraud Case

Dec 13 2019 // A Texas man convicted on workers’ compensation fraud charges must repay $16,727.70 in restitution to Texas Mutual Insurance Co., the insurer reported.Texas Mutual Insurance reported that Richard R. Gutierrez of...

Southern California Bride Tied up in Insurance Fraud Scheme

Dec 13 2019 // Vermyttya Miller, 37, of Santa Clarita, Calif., was sentenced this week to five years in county jail and ordered to pay $22,500 in restitution after pleading no contest to one count of felony insurance fraud for a wedding...