Fraud Roundup

Louisiana
Former cop sentenced
A former Marksville, La., police officer was sentenced to 15 months in prison for helping a woman he was dating file a fraudulent insurance claim. Herbert Guillot Jr., convicted on federal charges of conspiracy, money laundering and concealing assets, was ordered to pay $10,640 in restitution and report to prison May 22.

Louisiana State Police troopers and FBI agents arrested Guillot in June 2005. They said he filed a false claim of jewelry being stolen during a burglary, on behalf of the woman, to State Farm Insurance Co, which paid $10,640. The money was placed in a bank account Guillot opened so it could not be seized from his friend. The woman testified against Guillot during his trial.
Copyright 2006 Associated Press.

Producer loses license after conviction
A St. Martinville insurance producer, Pamela Marie Thibodeaux, was issued a cease and desist order and summary suspension of her insurance licenses subsequent to her conviction for a felony involving dishonesty or breach of trust in violation of Louisiana insurance laws.

This action came after Thibodeaux continued in the business of insurance after pleading guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Submit False Information in Order to Register to Vote in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. She was sentenced on Jan. 19, 2006, to three years probation and was fined $3,500.

Thibodeaux had a business office at 400 South Main, Ste. A, St. Martinville. The Louisiana Department of Insurance emphasized that the action against Thibodeaux in no way involves or reflects upon any insurance or other businesses that may be located at that same address.
Source: Louisiana Department of Insurance

Oklahoma
Former agency employee must pay $20K
A former employee of Gore’s Southlake Insurance Agency was recently ordered to pay $20,479.93 in restitution after pleading guilty to six counts of violating Oklahoma’s Computer Crimes Act, state Attorney General Drew Edmondson said.

Sands was accused of converting policy holder premium payments to her own personal use. Three of the charges against her stem from allegations that Sands pocketed the premium payments and then electronically submitted payments to the insurance company by debiting the Southlake account, causing a loss to the agency. The remaining counts allege Sands electronically obtained insurance for herself or her husband, and debited the premium payments from the Southlake account.

Sands was ordered to serve a 10-year suspended sentence and pay $3,176 in court costs and a victims compensation assessment. Her insurance license was suspended in 2004 following the onset of the investigation.

Source: Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office