Minister Charged with Felony Insurance Fraud

A California Baptist minister has been charged with 17 felony counts of insurance fraud and grand theft. Charles Lincoln Hopkins turned himself in to authorities after a $250,000 bail warrant was issued for his arrest. CDI found that he reportedly worked as a pastor despite claiming total disability retirement benefits due to an injury he incurred as a City of Berkeley employee.

Hopkins was injured in 1995 while working as a mechanic for the City of Berkeley. He applied for and received disability, asserting in insurance documents that he was 100 percent disabled and unable to perform any type of job. He also certified that he was not receiving any “wages, salary or remuneration” outside of his job with the city.

Hartford Insurance Company, which issued the policy, reviewed the case and reported to CDI that Hopkins was working as a pastor since at least 1995. Investigators said that each felony count against Hopkins could carry a sentence of up to 5 years imprisonment.