School Bus Crash Leads to Arrest, Insurance Fraud Charges in Louisiana
Three men have been charged with insurance fraud violations after an investigation into a two-vehicle accident involving a private school bus, Louisiana State Police.
The LSP arrested 44-year-old Michael Simon of New Orleans after an LSP Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit investigation into the falsification of insurance certificates by representatives of Scholar First LLC. Melvin Williams, 42, of Gonzales, and 40-year-old Jeramy Jackson of New Orleans both face charges in connection with the falsification of insurance documents as well.
In 2019, the LSP’s insurance fraud field office in New Orleans received a complaint that a privatized company called “Scholars First LLC,” which provided school bus transportation to several charter schools in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge area, was involved in a minor two vehicle crash in Orleans Parish.
According to LSP, upon exchanging information on scene between both drivers, a representative from Scholars First LLC presented the school bus insurance card that later proved to be fraudulent. The discovery of the fraudulent insurance card led investigators to inquire into the liability and integrity of Scholars First LLC.
During the LSP investigation, request was sent to the school’s management organization, requesting Certificates of Liability Insurance. The majority of all of the certificates received from the school’s management organization were verified as being fraudulent by the insurance companies listed on the certificate.
Detectives determined that Simon along with the two owners of Scholar First LLC, Williams and Jackson, both provided falsified documents to several charter schools.
Simon was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center; arrest warrants are out for Williams and Jackson.
The Louisiana State Police Insurance Fraud/Auto Theft Unit is responsible for investigating referrals of suspected fraudulent insurance acts.
Source: LSP