A formerly licensed insurance agent in Flint, Michigan, faces multiple felony charges for allegedly selling fraudulent automobile insurance certificates.
The Michigan Department of Financial Services (DIFS) said 24-year old Dillen Leonard has been charged with four counts of selling counterfeit insurance certificates and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.
Selling counterfeit insurance certificates is a felony punishable by one to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000. Using a computer to commit a crime is also a felony, punishable by up to seven years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
Leonard allegedly sold or offered customers fraudulent certificates of insurance that appeared to be legitimate and knew that his clients were presenting the documents to the Secretary of State as insurance in order to apply for or renew their vehicle registrations.
During July 2016, Leonard reportedly sold at least 29 of the fraudulent certificates. Dillen’s license was revoked in 2018 and the DIFS also imposed a $25,000 fine.
The order issued by the DIFS in 2018 showed that Leonard served as a designated responsible licensed producer for Advasure Insurance Agency from Jan. 4, 2016, to Aug. 1, 2016. The DIFS investigators found that Leonard produced the false certificates of insurance from July 5, 2016, to July 28, 2016.
“Each certificate was produced at Advasure on an Everest National Insurance Company formatted certificate…,” the order states.
Each customer was charged “approximately $100-$125 cash for a false certificate of insurance,” the order states. Leonard placed the money in the agency’s cash drawer and took the money home at the end of the day, according to the DIFS.
The case was referred to the Attorney General’s office by DIFS after the department received a complaint about Leonard’s alleged misconduct.
The newly established DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit investigates criminal and fraudulent activity related to the insurance and financial markets and works with the Attorney General and law enforcement to prosecute these crimes.
Source: Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS)
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