Introducing the 2020 Insurance Fraud Hall of Shame

December 30, 2020

The year 2020 would not be complete without a recap of America’s worst insurance fraud crimes.

Homeless New Yorkers targeted in a $31.7 million slip-and-fall ring. A sober-home mogul trades sex for drugs. A billionaire insurance mogul attempts to bribe a state insurance commissioner. These are among the newest members of the Insurance Fraud Hall of Shame inducted by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud:

  • Slip ring stumbles. Bryan Duncan hired hundreds of homeless people to fake $31.7 million of painful injuries from setup falls against businesses in New York City. Many had unneeded surgery. Federal sentence: 80 months.
  • Fired up, watered down. Dozens of old houses were burned and flooded in a $1.7-million scheme by Patrick Wayne Bronnon’s ring in Texas. They also insured fake possessions. State sentence: 78 years in state prison, though Bronnon died in July 2020.
  • Stolen Valor. Richard Meleski claimed he was a Navy SEAL wounded in Beirut, Lebanon. Yet the Pennsylvania man never served in the military. He invented the heroics to steal more than $300,000 of federal disability money. Federal sentence: pending.
  • Food folly. Tainted food sickened Jacqueline Masse, the New Hampshire woman said. She filed nearly $400,000 of false claims against innocent restaurants and grocery stores. Masse also stole her children’s identities for claims. State sentence: 18 months.
  • Bribery boondoggle. Billionaire insurance mogul Greg E. Lindberg tried to bribe North Carolina’s insurance commissioner $2 million to ease state regulation of his firms. Instead, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey and the FBI wired Lindberg’s bribery attempt. Federal sentence: seven years.
  • Sex, drugs, betrayal. Christopher Bathum traded sex for drugs to addicted women at his rehab facilities in a $175-million insurance scam. The Los Angeles-area man also gave patients drugs so they’d relapse for more expensive rehab. State sentence: 52 years.
  • Skin-deep scam. Dr. David Morrow billed uninsured beauty surgery as medically essential in a $50-million scam. The Beverly Hills surgeon charged tummy tucks as hernia repairs, and nose work as fixing deviated septums. Federal sentence: 20 years.
  • Rapper fraud racket. Would-be Chicago rapper Qaw’mane Wilson had his mother shot for life insurance and her savings to flaunt money and build up his fan base. State sentence: 99 years.

Source: Coalition Against Insurance Fraud

Topics Fraud

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  • January 11, 2021 at 10:09 am
    Jack says:
    Debunked my ass! I've seen it personally, get your head out of your ass. In respect to the Goosehead firing of an employee. The company flat out lies to people about "owning" ... read more
  • January 5, 2021 at 11:15 am
    Perplexed says:
    I apologize, Jon for my comment. I understand you are not the person I thought I was responding to. Please accept my apology.
  • January 4, 2021 at 4:47 pm
    perplexed says:
    Jon talking about "loving and respecting all man/womankind". That's rich. The biggest hater I've ever had the misfortune to read and he's calling for love.

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