N.Y. Agency Owner Charged With Issuing Fraudulent Certificates of Insurance

Authorities said a New York-based insurance agency owner has been charged with allegedly issuing fraudulent certificates of insurance.

The New York State Police announced on Dec. 22 that Walter Davis, the owner of W. Davis Insurance in Saint Johnsville, N.Y., was arrested and charged with falsifying business records in the first degree (a felony) and insurance fraud in the fifth degree (a misdemeanor).

The charges stem from a months-long investigation in which it was alleged that Davis issued fraudulent certificates of liability insurance to customers and accepted premium payments for those certificates.

Authorities allege that Davis had retained the payment for himself. The investigation also revealed that he allegedly attempted to cover the fraudulent certificates by altering business records of the transactions.

An investigation was conducted jointly by the New York State Police bureau of criminal investigation, the State Police financial crimes unit and the New York State Insurance Fund. Davis was processed without incident and released on an appearance ticket returnable to the Village of Saint Johnsville Court next month.