Lightning May Not Have Struck at All: Georgia Man Wanted for False Insurance Claims

Authorities were searching this week for a Georgia man who falsely claimed a lightning strike caused more than $18,000 in damage to his property, Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King said in a bulletin.

Salvatore Arzillo, 52, of Buford, Georgia, filed claims with Auto Owners Insurance Group in 2021. But investigators found that the man had forged documents and that the repair work was never completed, King said.

“The suspect submitted several invoices for repair costs and replacement items in an attempt to procure more than $18,000 dollars,” King said in a statement. “Investigators determined that Mr. Arzillo altered the invoices and the work claimed on the invoices was never completed.”

An arrest warrant was issued May 22. Arzillo had not been located by Tuesday morning.