Married Insurance Agents Charged in $750,000 Fraud Scheme

Tanya Cornelia Dampier and her husband, Charles Ray Dampier, both former insurance agents in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., have been arrested for attempting to defraud at least 13 insurance companies of more than $750,000, according to the California Department of Insurance.

CDI investigators revealed that from December 2002 to October 2003, Charles Dampier allegedly induced various individuals into signing life insurance or annuity applications and writing personal checks for the premium payments. The checks were drawn on bank accounts that were either closed or had insufficient funds.

Tanya Dampier would then submit the applications with the bad checks to various insurance companies. The insurance companies paid Tanya advance commissions based on these transactions. When the checks were eventually returned by the banks, Tanya failed to return the unearned commissions to the insurance companies.

Charles has been in custody since March 2, 2007. Both are being charged with 27 counts of theft by false pretenses, two counts of attempted theft by false pretenses and two counts of tax evasion, all felonies. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

Source: CDI