N.C. Residents Arrested in Fraud Case
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long and Wilkes County Sheriff Dane Mastin announced that Darryl Edward Billings and Jennifer Lyn Billings of North Wilkesboro were arrested recently on charges of Obtaining Property by False Pretense and Conspiracy to Obtain Property by False Pretense. Their arrests followed the issuance of arrest warrants by a Wilkes County Magistrate. Both were released on bond. Warrants remain outstanding for Donald Ervin Billings, also of North Wilkesboro.
The charges center around allegations that the individuals staged automobile accidents, falsified accident reports and presented false statements and documents to insurance companies in order to obtain insurance proceeds.
An investigation into the case was conducted by the Department of Insurance, the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Personnel from several insurance companies including Empire Fire and Marine, State Farm Mutual, North Carolina Farm Bureau, Allstate, GMAC, Virginia Mutual, Penn National and Nationwide also significantly contributed to this investigation.
“Staged automobile accident rings and the associated false claims are very costly problems for all North Carolina citizens,” said Commissioner Long. “Your Department of Insurance and the insurance industry are working very hard to address this problem. I commend the dedicated efforts of the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department and NICB in this case and look forward to the continued cooperation of all these agencies as we continue to fight this problem.”
The Wilkes County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.