White-collar crimes are considered by many people to be far less serious than violent crimes and drug offenses. However, even though fraud, embezzlement and identity theft may not physically harm someone, they can hurt financially. When large companies or state agencies are involved, law enforcements officers take the crimes seriously.
For example, two women in Louisiana are facing serious legal trouble after the Louisiana State Police Investigations Bureau accused them of insurance fraud. According to the LSP report, the 54-year-old suspects were charged with insurance fraud — one with 17 counts and the other with two counts.
According to investigators, one suspect’s son was injured in an industrial accident in 2005 and required 24-hour-a-day care. His mother arranged to have a sitting service called Cookies Helping Hands provide the care. The second suspect is the owner of the service.
The mother allegedly hired relatives and friends to take care of her son but submitted falsified documents indicating that services had been provided to her son; she was then reimbursed by AIG Insurance. Police allege that the services listed in the insurance claims were never rendered and the mother deposited the fraudulently obtained payments to her bank account in 2010.
The two suspects allegedly signed false supervisor notes for time spent counseling sitters in 2009 and 2010, although those tasks were never performed. The owner of Cookies Helping Hands has a previous criminal record of Medicaid fraud and 60 counts of maintaining false public records.
An alleged insurance fraud crime in Louisiana can lead to severe penalties upon conviction, ranging from prison time, to heavy fines, to restitution. The accused individuals may also face other lifelong consequences as well. In such a case, an aggressive defense may be the best way forward.
Source: The NewsStar “Owner and customer of area business charged with insurance fraud,” May 9, 2014
