Pair Sentenced in Texas in Unlicensed Auto Insurance Fraud Scheme

The Texas Department of Insurance Special Prosecutor, working in conjunction with the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, secured a criminal conviction against David Alton Brabandt and Barbara Del Aguila of Dallas for insurance fraud, TDI reported.

According to TDI, from March 2002 to June 2004, Brabandt and Barbara Del Aguila, a brother and sister, operated Aguila Insurance Agency at 5415 Maple Avenue, Suite 319 in Dallas.

Brabandt had never been licensed to sell insurance in Texas and Barbara Aguila’s license was cancelled in 1998. They were charged in multiple indictments in April 2005 with taking payments for insurance from over 300 victims and not purchasing insurance for them.

Also charged were two employees of the agency. Maria Lopez, a receptionist, had previously plead guilty in 2005 to Unauthorized Insurance and was sentenced to five years probation with a $2,000 fine and restitution.

Brabandt and Barbara Del Aguila plead guilty on Feb. 1, 2006, to two felony charges, were sentenced to two years in the Texas Department of Corrections, and were ordered to pay $183,861.29 in restitution.

“Consumers should always check with TDI to make sure the person selling insurance is actually licensed to do so,” said Dennis Pompa, head of TDI’s Fraud Unit. “Consumers should be wary of any insurance deal that seems too good to be true, because it probably is.”