Former Louisiana Agent Charged with Misappropriation, Forgery

Louisiana continued its crack down on current and former insurance producers committing alleged fraudulent activities, charging a former Lake Charles agent with misappropriation, forgery and conducting the business of insurance without a license.

Steven Charles Rossiter, 59, was served by Department of Insurance Fraud Section Investigators with an order to cease and desist from engaging in the business of insurance and a $1,000 fine notice.

Rossiter is alleged to have completed and submitted fraudulent paperwork to an insurance company requesting that $9,000 be withdrawn from a client’s life insurance policy. When the check was issued, he is alleged to have forged the client’s name on the check and deposit it into his own bank account. Rossiter was also conducting the business of insurance without a valid license.

Department records show that Rossiter was issued Life, Accident & Health licenses in November 1996 and a Variable Contracts license in May 1997, all of which lapsed in April 2008.

In the past month, the department has served papers on at least seven current and former agents for various alleged criminal or unethical activities.

Source: Louisiana Department of Insurance, www.ldi.state.la.us