Warrants issued for 26 accused in $500,000 insurance fraud scheme in Columbus
Twenty-six people have been charged in a $500,000 insurance fraud ring centered in Columbus, Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens announced Wednesday during a news conference.
Devonta Waddy, 24, of Lumpkin, Ga., was identified as the leader of the insurance fraud ring and remained on the loose as of Wednesday night. The group collectively faces 326 charges, including insurance fraud, racketeering, theft by deception, identify fraud and exploitation of the elderly.
“This fraud ring staged phony accidents and filed fraudulent claims collecting thousands of dollars,” Hudgens said. “I said my office was going to be tough on insurance fraud, and hopefully these arrests will send a strong message that I am serious about cracking down on insurance fraud.”
The scheme was conducted from 2013 to 2016.
The following agencies assisted in the 16-month investigation: the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office, the Stewart County Sheriff’s Office, the Lumpkin Police Department, the Richland Police Department and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Insurance companies victimized by the scam included GEICO, State Farm, Nationwide, SafeAuto, Allstate, Progressive, USAA, Georgia Farm Bureau Mutual, Safeway, Everest National, Direct Auto and The General Insurance.
The Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office will be prosecuting the cases.
Hudgens said suspects would purchase liability insurance on a vehicle then intentionally strike another vehicle and accept responsibility for it, he added.
They allegedly reported the wrecks to their insurance company but not law enforcement. They filed more than $500,000 worth of false claims, but only received $155,925 in payouts from 12 insurance companies, Hudgens said.
“We’ve had the same vehicles involved in seven or eight claims showing different owners when they all belong to one individual,” said Sherry Mowell, the chief investigator of the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s fraud unit.
Hudgens said companies aren’t the only ones affected by insurance scam.
In 2016, it costs every insurance policy holder about $400 to $700 to pay fraudulent claims processed through their company.
“The only way insurance companies get money is from us, individually,” he said. “Every time they have to payout a fraudulent claim, it costs everyone.”
Sarah Robinson: 706-571-8622, @sarahR_92
Suspects in insurance fraud scheme
- Devonte Waddy, 24, of Lumpkin faces one count of racketeering, 23 counts of insurance, 15 counts of theft by deception, 13 counts of identity fraud and seven counts of exploitation of an elder person
- Jason Martain, 23, of Columbus faces one count of racketeering, four counts of insurance fraud, four counts of theft by deception, three counts of identity fraud and one count of exploitation of an elder person
- Safia Streetman, 40, of Columbus faces one count of racketeering, three counts of insurance fraud and two counts of theft by deception
- Leroy Johnson, 49, of Richland faces one count of racketeering, three counts of insurance fraud, two counts of theft by deception, two counts of identity fraud and two counts of exploitation of an elder person
- KeShawn Pollard, 23, of Richland faces one count of racketeering, two counts of insurance fraud, two counts of theft by deception, two counts of identity fraud and two counts of exploitation of an elder person
- Brittany Green, 28, of St. Marys faces one count of racketeering and four counts of insurance fraud
- Deidra S. Holmes, 35, of Cuthbert faces one count of racketeering, two counts of insurance fraud, two counts of theft by deception and one count of insurance fraud
- Devonta Josey, 23, of Richland faces one count of insurance fraud
- Deandre Nelson, 26, of Buena Vista faces two counts of insurance fraud
- Shalawn Williams, 42, of East Point faces one count each of insurance fraud, theft by deception and identity fraud
- Timothy Lewis, 25, of Columbus faces one count of insurance fraud and one count of theft by deception
- Emory Stevens Jr., 27, of Columbus faces two counts of insurance fraud
- Mackery Strong, 28, of Columbus faces one count of insurance fraud
- Corderro Thomas, 24, of Lumpkin faces one count each of insurance fraud, theft by deception and identity theft
- Tremaine Johnson, 34, of Phenix City faces one count each of insurance fraud and theft by deception
- Angelia Jones, 49, of Columbus faces two counts of insurance fraud and one count of theft by deception
- Annie Wright, 56, of Lumpkin faces one count each of insurance fraud and theft by deception
- Terry Lyn Jones Johnson, 45, of Richland faces one count of racketeering, 11 counts of insurance fraud, 10 counts of theft by deception, six counts of identity fraud and three counts of exploitation of an elder person
- Kenya Daniels, 24, of Albany, faces three counts of insurance fraud, three counts of theft by deception and one counts of identity fraud
- Moses Jackson, 32, of Lumpkin faces one count each of insurance fraud and theft by deception
- Chandra Michelle Jones, 44, of Richland faces one count of insurance fraud, one count of theft by deception and one count of identity fraud
- Nekito Jones, 40, of Richland faces one count of racketeering, three counts of insurance fraud, one count of theft by deception and two counts of identity fraud
- Kamesha Lockett, 23, of Lumpkin faces one count of racketeering, 10 counts of insurance fraud, eight counts of theft by deception, six counts of identity fraud and five counts of exploitation of the elderly
- Rodney Lockett, 25, of Columbus faces one count of racketeering, 19 counts of insurance fraud, 14 counts of theft by deception, 11 counts of identify fraud and five counts of exploitation of an elder person
- Jasmine Pollard, 24, of Richland faces one count of racketeering, seven counts of insurance fraud, six counts of theft by deception and six counts of identity fraud
- Maurice Young, 34, of Americus faces one count of racketeering, 20 counts of insurance fraud, 10 counts of theft by deception, 11 counts of identity fraud and three counts of exploitation of an elder person
This story was originally published June 7, 2017 at 1:22 PM with the headline "Warrants issued for 26 accused in $500,000 insurance fraud scheme in Columbus."