LOS ANGELES – Authorities recently discovered and stopped a $124,000 life insurance scam involving four agents.
The arrested suspects –
- 32-year-old Eastvale resident Samuel Tadlock III;
- 42-year-old Murrieta resident Marlene Ramirez;
- 34-year-old Sylmar resident Daniel Herrarte, and
- 38-year-old San Fernando resident Jorge Lopez Jr.
Their charges include identity theft, grand theft after submitting fraudulent claims with stolen identities.
Also, 42-year-old Corona resident Scotty Carlisle “is making arrangements to surrender himself.”
In a press release Commissioner Dave Jones asserted “zero tolerance for agents and brokers who scam insurers and victimize consumers.”
What they did
The agents “issued life and supplemental insurance policies for accident, accident care, critical illness, disability” and other types. They used “fraudulent applications as part of a scheme to earn commission advances from insurers.”
The quartet submitted falsified applications using various pieces of purloined information. These fake accounts earned the suspects very real bonuses, “including a Hawaiian trip incentive offered to qualifying agents.”
The insurer “discovered inconsistencies” and as a result “terminated the sales’ agents contracts.” Also, the insurer pulled them from the incentive promotion. Most noteworthy, they reported what they alleged was the illegal activity.
Further investigation revealed a second insurer victimized by the agent’s actions. Thus, the investigation in this case is ongoing.
