Licensed La. Bail Bond Business Owner, Employee Arrested

A licensed Monroe, La., bail bond producer has been arrested and issued a cease and desist order for allegedly allowing an unlicensed employee to write and sign bail bonds on behalf of the producer’s business, the Louisiana Department of Insurance reported. The employee was also arrested and charged.

Bryan Arthur Johnson, 36, was arrested by members of the State Police Insurance Fraud Unit at the Richland Parish Detention Center and charged with 24 counts of insurance fraud. At the same time, Department of Insurance Fraud Unit investigators served him with a cease and desist order and a revocation of all his insurance licenses, including the bail bond agency license of the E-Z Bail Bonds, a division of Serious Business Investments LLC. Insurance department records show he was the owner/manager and only licensed producer of the bail bond agency.

Johnson’s employee, Fredrick Smith, 40, was also arrested by the State Police Insurance Fraud Unit, and charged with 24 counts of insurance fraud and served by the Department of Insurance Fraud Unit investigators with an order to cease and desist from conducting the business of insurance. The C&D alleges that Smith was writing and signing bail bonds and executing powers of attorney for bail on behalf of E-Z Bail Bonds without an insurance license.

DOI records list the business address of E-Z Bail Bonds/Serious Business Investments LLC as 510 Pine St. #1, Monroe, and Johnson’s residence address as P.O. Box 9013, Monroe.

Records also show Johnson held a Bail Bonds license from December 2001 until the current action.

Previously, he held a Credit Life/Credit Health & Accident license from December 2003 until May 2004; a P&C Credit Accident license from December 2003 until May 2005; and an Industrial Life, Health & Accident license from July 1995-1996.

Commissioner Donelon urges consumers who feel uneasy about any insurance-related transaction to call the Department of Insurance Fraud Unit at (225) 342-4956 or (800) 259-5300. If callers don’t want their names used, they can request that their involvement be kept confidential.