North Carolina Investigators Arrest 5 in Various Insurance Fraud Cases

North Carolina Department of Insurance investigators made five arrests in several unrelated insurance fraud cases this month.

Officials arrested Larry Drake of 508 E. 21st St., Lumberton, N.C., on March 6, and charged him with one count of embezzlement by an insurance agent. Investigators allege that during 2003, Drake collected insurance premiums from policyholders and did not send them on to the insurance company. Department officials believe he took more than $8,000.

Investigators arrested Brian Acklin, a licensed insurance agent, of 110 Warren Chapel Road, Chocowinity, N.C., on March 7 and charged him with two counts of embezzlement by an insurance agent. Investigators allege that Acklin collected premiums from customers but never remitted the payments to the insurance company.

Also on March 7, officials arrested three people linked to a report of a single-car accident alleged to have been deliberately crashed into a tree. Department investigators allege the three later filed an insurance claim to collect almost $10,000 in payments. Ayana Johnson of 2107 Granite Ct., Greenville, N.C., was charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of felony conspiracy. Derrick Speller of 101 Farm Rd., Windsor, N.C., was arrested and charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of felony conspiracy. Kellye Robinson of 109 Chesterfield Ct., Greenville, N.C., was arrested and charged with one count of insurance fraud and one count of felony conspiracy. The North Carolina Highway Patrol assisted with the investigation.

In 2007, Department of Insurance investigators saw more than 525 cases successfully closed with more than $14.5 million in restitution and recoveries, 53 criminal convictions and 109 arrests.

Source: North Carolina Department of Insurance