Georgia Business Owner Arrested for Insurance Fraud

June 4, 2018

A business owner in Gwinnett County, Ga., has been arrested and charged with one count of insurance fraud after presenting a fraudulent certificate of insurance coverage, according to a statement from Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens.

Maria Estela Castillo, 34, of Lilburn, Ga., was arrested on May 11. Castillo owns Castillo Garage Doors and is accused of presenting a fraudulent proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance to Cobb County business Painting Plus to obtain a subcontactor job with the company.

An investigation by the Georgia Department of Insurance’s Fraud Division determined that the fraudulent certificate of insurance Castillo issued contained information written by Biltmore Insurance Agency for coverage with the effective dates of Jan. 29, 2015, to Jan. 29, 2016.

Investigators determined that Biltmore Insurance did not produce a certificate of insurance for Castillo Garage and Doors in 2015 or at any time since their coverage canceled in April 2011.

Castillo was booked into the Cobb County Jail and posted a bond for release.

Hudgens recommends that businesses verify that a contractor is licensed and insured before they are hired or any work is done.

Insurance fraud is a felony punishable by imprisonment for two-to-ten years, by a fine of up to $10,000.00, or both.