Recently, this blog discussed various types of white collar crimes, which usually involve some form of dishonesty or theft. Financial crimes are taken every bit as seriously by police as drug crimes or violent crimes. Insurance fraud is one type of white collar crime, a crime that one Louisiana firefighter has recently been accused of.
The man, who is a resident of Keithville, has been charged with insurance fraud following an investigation by the Insurance Fraud and Auto Theft Unit of the Louisiana State Police. The police reportedly received a complaint prompting the investigation, which commenced in July 2013.
Police claim that the firefighter fraudulently signed his former stepchildren and his ex-wife up for city medical insurance. The allegedly fraudulent activity reportedly took place between November 2010 and May 2013. According to police, the city of Shreveport made over $85,000 in contributions for claims for medical benefits and health coverage premiums. Police believe that the firefighter’s intent was to defraud the city’s medical coverage program.
Crimes such as this tend to be taken very seriously by authorities. Even though it may seem like such accusations are victimless, law enforcement will still vigorously pursue alleged white collar criminals. White collar crimes can lead to serious penalties, including a prison sentence, fines and restitution. Due to this, those accused of insurance fraud or other white collar crimes may want to seek the assistance of a criminal defense attorney. When a defendant’s account of the alleged activity differs from that of investigators, he or she deserves to have a say in the courtroom.
Source: Insurance Journal, “Louisiana State Police Charge Firefighter in Insurance Fraud Investigation,” May 13, 2015
