Phony Policies Don't Pay

Investigators with the California Department of Insurance (CDI) Criminal Investigations Branch arrested Ronald Prasky, owner of San Ysidro-based Border Pacific Insurance Services, for selling bogus insurance policies. The 30-year-old insurance agent was booked into San Diego County Jail and bail was set at $400,000. His wife, Mylena Munguia Prasky, 38, was also arrested along with Antonio Lopez, 32, who served as manager of the agency. All of the defendants were charged with multiple felony counts, including conspiracy, insurance fraud and grand theft.

Prasky allegedly sold hundreds of phony policies to unsuspecting consumers, primarily in the Hispanic community. Investigators believe that when consumers went to Prasky to purchase auto insurance, he collected their premiums and then issued bogus proof of insurance identification cards. Since he never submitted the premiums to the carriers, consumers who paid for the coverage were not insured. Upon receiving complaints from policyholders, CDI investigators served a search warrant Dec. 21 at Border Pacific Insurance Services. The San Diego District Attorney's Office is now prosecuting the case.

Caught After Years of Wrongdoing

Following a six-month investigation, former insurance agent Charles Stanley Tigner was arrested on a Tulare County Superior Court warrant. Among the 127 criminal violations charged in the warrant are insurance fraud, grand theft, false impersonation, possession of fictitious checks, and elder abuse. Tigner, who is also known by several aliases, was booked at the Tulare County Pre-Trial Detention Facility. Bail was set at $1 million. If convicted, the 62-year-old man, who allegedly received more than $81,000 from insurance companies and policyholders by fraudulent means, faces a maximum sentence of 69 years in state prison.

According to the CDI, Tigner, whose insurance agent license was revoked in 1979, has acted illegally as an agent for a number of years. Investigators allege that Tigner has a history of changing the life insurance policies of insureds into his own name and taking out loans on their policies without their knowledge. A search warrant was served at Tigner's residence on June 23, 2000, and investigators identified other fraudulent claims allegedly submitted by Tigner as well as other evidence of life and homeowner insurance premium theft. Victimized companies included Zurich-Kemper Life Insurance, Foremost Insurance, Century-National Insurance, Ohio State Life Insurance, and Protective Life Insurance.

The CDI stated that Tigner, working under the business name "Select Services," allegedly arranged for insureds to pay six-month or one-year insurance premiums directly to him. While Tigner made some premium payments, other policies were allowed to lapse. The CDI indicated that Tigner would allegedly change an insured's mailing address to one of many post office boxes or other mailing addresses. Investigators reported that most of the fraudulent claims were made to Foremost for reported wind damage to mobile home awnings, which insureds later told investigators had never occurred.

The CDI also reported that during the course of Tigner's insurance practices, he used the name of his son, Mark Tigner of Tulare, Calif. The CDI emphasized that Mark Tigner is a licensed insurance agent in good standing, who has no insurance business affiliation with Charles Stanley Tigner. Furthermore, Mark Tigner is not suspected or charged in any of Charles Stanley Tigner's alleged criminal violations.

Let's Go to the Videotape

Following a joint investigation by the CDI Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Wal-Mart Corporate Claims Investigation Unit, Jennelle Nanleen Allen of Madera County was arrested on workers' compensation fraud charges by the CDI and Madera District Attorney's Office investigators.

According to CDI investigators, Allen reported an alleged back injury while employed at a Madera County Wal-Mart. She eventually received more than $15,000 in benefits and medical treatments. Soon after the reported injury, Allen was placed under surveillance by private investigators who videotaped her on several occasions working at her boyfriend's mini-market without apparent difficulty.

When Allen contacted a doctor for her follow-up examination, she stated that she was still unable to work due to her inability to move without pain. Allen was unaware the doctor had viewed the videotaped surveillance of her working with no apparent pain. After being confronted with this evidence, Allen admitted to working at her boyfriend's mini-market. If convicted, Allen could face up to five years in state prison and/or fines up to $15,000.

'Crime Stoppers' Pays Off

Ali Dalie, 28, and Haya Halum (aka Haya Dalie), 23, were arrested as a result of information received from a "Crime Stoppers" ad placed in the Madera Tribune newspaper. Both were booked on felony charges stemming from presenting and preparing fraudulent insurance claims.

According to CDI investigators, Dalie reported to the California State Automobile Association (CSAA) that $59,000 of personal property had been stolen from his Fresno apartment. After an investigation, it was determined that Dalie and his now ex-wife submitted false receipts for many of the items declared in their claim to the CSAA. If convicted, they could each face up to five years in state prison and/or a maximum fine of $50,000. The Madera County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.

All in the Family

Following an 18-month investigation, CDI fraud investigators arrested a Sacramento family and a family friend on 19 counts of insurance fraud. Bobby Gene Bass, 67; Lavern Dobbins-Bass, 57; Bobby Jason Bass, 20; and Christian Hearst, 31; were all arrested. In addition, Norman Bass, 35, was arrested while currently serving a prison sentence for a previous unrelated crime; and Shawn Lydell Bass, 28, is also wanted by CDI investigators and is considered a fugitive.

According to investigators, on Dec. 16, 1998, Bobby and Lavern were involved in a minor traffic accident with another vehicle on Watt Avenue in Sacramento. Two individuals waiting for a bus at a light rail station witnessed the accident. Investigators discovered that Allstate Insurance Company received a claim for the accident for soft tissue injuries filed by Bobby Bass, Lavern Dobbins-Bass, Bobby Jason Bass and Christian Hearst.

Bobby Gene Bass told Allstate that he had never been involved in any other auto accidents prior to the Dec. 16 accident, but investigators found that he and Lavern had been involved in prior auto accidents on June 25, 1997; Aug. 21, 1998; and April 13, 2000. Investigators determined that Bobby Gene and Lavern were the only occupants in their vehicle at the time of these accidents.

As a result of their fraudulent claims, Allstate and State Farm Insurance Companies paid the Bass family $15,678 in medical benefits to which they were not entitled.