Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty to $135K Insurance Fraud

A Portland, Michigan, woman has pleaded guilty to filing fraudulent insurance claims totaling more than $135,000, state insurance regulators say.

According to Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Director Anita Fox, following an investigation conducted by the DIFS Fraud Investigation Unit (FIU), Christel Lanz, 48, of Portland, was arraigned in Lansing District Court 54-A and charged with the following:

• 27 counts of uttering and publishing falsified documents;
• 4 counts of false pretenses ($50,000 to $100,000); and
• 4 counts of falsified tax-related forms.

The fraudulent health care claims were submitted to the insurer on behalf of Lanz and her family members between March 2015 and May 2018. The claims were submitted for medical treatments for injuries that never occurred.

After an internal investigation, the insurer referred the case to the DIFS FIU in June 2020.

On Sept. 7, Lanz appeared before Judge Clinton Canady III in 30th Circuit Court to plead guilty to:

• 1 count of filing false pretenses ($1,000 to $20,000)
• 1 count of filing false pretenses ($20,000 to $50,000)
• 2 counts of filing false pretenses ($50,000 to $100,000)
• 1 count of falsifying tax documents

As part of the plea agreement, all remaining charges against Lanz were dismissed. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 3 at 10 a.m.

Source: Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services

Topics Fraud Michigan