North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Jim Long announced the arrest recently of Robert Samuel Ballard, 49, of Wilkes County on 25 charges of obtaining property under false pretenses.
Department of Insurance investigators allege that Ballard was defrauding St. Paul Travelers insurance company in a scheme to collect workers’ compensation payments. Ballard was arrested at his workplace, Deals and Deals, on Highway 18 north in North Wilkesboro.
Investigators believe the total amount of loss to St. Paul Travelers exceeds $65,000. They were assisted in the arrest by the Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office.
“We believe Mr. Ballard was claiming to have an injury that prevented him from working and was collecting on his workers compensation policy,” said Long. “When in reality our investigators found him to be in good physical condition and fully able to work and earn a living.”
Investigators first received a tip about this case from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, a nonprofit organization dedicated to shutting down insurance fraud. The resulting investigation found that Ballard submitted a workers’ comp claim in April of last year, claiming an injury while working for his company, Ballard Contractors.
Investigators allege that after the reported injury, Ballard falsified his income on papers to the insurance company, leading the company to believe he was unable to work due to the injury. Department officials believe, however, that Ballard did continue to work and earn money, and video footage obtained by St. Paul Traveler’s investigators seems to support this allegation.
The investigation continues, and further charges could be pending.
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